Bryant flays New South Wales as Queensland storm home
The home side had their target adjusted due to rain and couldn't get close
AAP
28-Nov-2022
Max Bryant cut loose against the small boundaries • Getty Images
Queensland 5 for 298 (Bryant 88*, Heazlett 54, Clayton 52, Tremain 3-46) beat New South Wales 8 for 165 (Hughes 43, B Edwards 3-30) by 31 runs (DLS method)
Queensland kept their Marsh Cup campaign alive by defeating New South Wales by 31 runs via the DLS method in their rain-affected one-day clash at North Sydney Oval.
Queensland had blasted 5 for 298 from 43.2 overs, with Max Bryant making 88 off 53 balls, when lightning and rain brought a premature close to their innings on Sunday
The home side's original DLS target following the first 80-minute delay was 329, before further showers halted play for a further 80 minutes with NSW 2 for 75 after 11.3 overs.
The target was revised to 225 off 24 overs and the new asking rate of 150 from the next 75 balls proved well beyond the home side when a third downpour ended proceedings permanently.
Kurtis Patterson and Matthew Gilkes both holed out to pull shots prior to the second delay as Queensland asserted their dominance early in the chase.
In-form Daniel Hughes, who had amassed three tons from his previous four competition knocks, was scratchy early before finding his best form after play resumed. Hughes looked the Blues' best hope of pulling off a miracle, top-scoring with 43.
But when he was run out in the 16th over via a direct hit from Sam Truloff, just one ball after Moises Henriques skied a catch to Max Bryant, the home side's hopes went out the door.
The first rain delay denied the blazing Bryant the opportunity to notch a maiden ton, but he revelled in the victory nonetheless.
"It's always good to play at North Sydney as a batter," Bryant said. "It's pretty small so you have to go 100 percent hard or nothing. You don't really have those in-between shots where you get caught on the boundary.
"I'm not going to go down without a fight - it's the Queensland way. Getting a win against NSW is always special."
After the early loss of Bryce Street to a contentious lbw decision, fellow opener Sam Heazlett and first-gamer Jack Clayton impressed before Bryant ripped the match away from NSW.
He hit five sixes in his swashbuckling knock, dominating a 122-run sixth-wicket stand with captain Jimmy Peirson, which came from just 12.1 overs and put Queensland right on top.
The result meant Queensland leapfrogged NSW and Victoria to rise to fourth spot on the points table.