Hodge pilots Bushrangers to eight-wicket win

Victoria 2 for 184 (Hodge 75*, White 51) beat South Australia 5 for 183 (Harris 98, Cooper 50) by eight wickets
Scorecard

Brad Hodge helped Victoria confirm their reputation as the best Twenty20 side in the country with a tight eight-wicket win over South Australia. The Victoria top order cruised for most of the chase of 184 but in the end scraped home with only one ball to spare as Hodge finished unbeaten on 75.

Hodge's 79-run partnership with Aiden Blizzard (36), scored at more than ten an over, set up the effort and after Blizzard was dismissed by Daniel Christian, Cameron White joined Hodge for further fireworks. After a sluggish start, White proved his worth with three massive bombs off Aaron O'Brien's third over which closed the run rate to an even 8.

The two raced towards the target until White fell with 18 needed off 11 balls. Hodge and David Hussey breathed easier when Hodge flicked a waist-high full toss for four from the final ball of the 19th over and the eight required from the last Gary Putland over came in ones and twos.

Despite Hodge's match-winning effort, the Man of the Match award was given to the Redbacks opener Daniel Harris for his 62-ball 98. He added 116 with Tom Cooper, who got a maiden fifty in only his second Twenty20 match. Harris was eventually dismissed in the final over, caught and bowled off a slower one from Shane Harwood, who ended with 3 for 27.