Hodge hundred gets Victoria home

Victoria 2 for 240 (Hodge 102*, Rogers 60) beat South Australia 5 for 239 (Harris 79, Borgas 59) by eight wickets
Scorecard

A century from the veteran Brad Hodge drove Victoria to an easy eight-wicket win over South Australia but the contributions from their two new men were just as pleasing for the Bushrangers. Hodge finished unbeaten on 102 as Victoria comfortably overhauled the Redbacks' 5 for 239 with 41 balls to spare.

But the success was set up by a confident 60 from 69 balls provided by Chris Rogers, who was playing his first game for his new state. Rogers switched during the off-season from Western Australia, where he was frustrated at not being picked in the one-day team, and he immediately showed Victoria his limited-overs potential.

Rogers and Rob Quiney combined for a 71-run opening stand that dulled the impact of Shaun Tait, who took the new ball in his first state match since walking away from the game in January. They also fended off Tait's new-ball partner Allan Wise, who last year was a Victorian and was lining up for the Redbacks for the first time.

South Australia's newcomers, including another former Victoria player, Michael Klinger, who made 17, failed to have the impact of the fresh faces in the Bushrangers line-up. Jon Holland, the left-arm orthodox spinner making his state debut in the absence of Bryce McGain and Cameron White, collected a wicket in his first over, finished with 2 for 44, and was credited by his captain David Hussey with changing the match.

Holland was the pick of Victoria's bowlers, who conceded 79 to the opener Daniel Harris and 59 to Cameron Borgas, although importantly neither man scored at a strike-rate above 80. Aaron O'Brien, the former New South Wales allrounder, made an unbeaten 23 and grabbed a wicket in his first game for South Australia, while the out-of-favour batsman Mark Cosgrove battled for 23.