A four-wicket haul by the pace bowler Adam Griffith helped Tasmania trounce Victoria by 114 runs at Melbourne on Saturday. With this defeat, Victoria also squandered their chance of making the ING Cup finals.
Victoria went into the match resting their key players - Shane Warne, Brad Hodge and Mick Lewis. Chasing 243, the Bushrangers got off to a disastrous start losing both openers to Griffith without a run on the board. Liam Buchanan fell shortly after, with the score on 14, and the Bushrangers struggled to construct substantial partnerships, the highest being 43 for the fourth wicket between David Hussey and Aiden Blizzard. Griffith claimed two more wickets to finish with 4 for 36, which were his best figures in the competition.
Tim Paine and Michael Di Venuto built a strong foundation for Tasmania after Travis Birt fell early. After both openers were dismissed, Michael Bevan and George Bailey staged a useful partnership. Bailey, who made 42, struck a huge six which landed on the adjacent tennis courts as Tasmania ended on 7 for 242.