Former Bushranger spoils Victorian party
HOBART, Jan 17 AAP - Victoria's attempt to graft a win in its Pura Cup match against Tasmania looks to have backfired, with a former Bushranger helping the Tigers along to a likely first outright victory of the season.
Don Woolford
17-Jan-2003
HOBART, Jan 17 AAP - Victoria's attempt to graft a win in its Pura Cup match against Tasmania looks to have backfired, with a former Bushranger helping the Tigers along to a likely first outright victory of the season.
Allrounder Ben Oliver, on debut for the Tigers, took two late wickets to tilt the balance after Tasmania surrendered a dominant position after lunch.
With a day to go, Victoria is 4-82 in its second innings -- with Jon Moss nine and Ian Harvey five.
The Bushrangers need another 261 runs to complete their first four day victory in Hobart for 17 years.
But there's already been enough twists in the match, with bowlers and batsmen taking turns in dominance, to suggest the outcome is not certain and forecast showers tomorrow may be a further complication.
Victorian captain Darren Berry remained upbeat.
"We've got two batsmen at the crease capable of making centuries and an exciting kid (Cameron White) to come next," he said.
Tasmania started the day at 3-268 -- a lead of 214 -- and proceeded with an innings in contrast to its first up effort of just 120.
Yesterday's hero Scott Mason, resuming on 168, took 42 minutes to progress further while Michael Di Venuto, two overnight, charged to a half century off 46 balls.
Mason finally hit a four and then edged Michael Lewis to Matthew Elliott at second slip, who popped the ball up for wicketkeeper Berry to complete the catch.
He scored 174 in 394 minutes, hit 24 fours and a six, and Tasmania, desperate for batsmen who can convert starts into big innings, will hope this is a turning point in his patchy career.
The loss of Mason and the introduction of White's leg spin slowed Di Venuto, but the Tigers still went to lunch very healthily placed at 5-353.
It all fell apart from the moment Di Venuto was smartly caught by Ian Harvey at first slip off White for 79.
Dan Marsh couldn't beat Brad Hodge's throw and was run out for 34, the rest contributed nothing and the last five wickets fell for 20 runs.
Berry finished with nine catches for the match.
The total of 396, and lead of 342, was about 50 runs less than Tasmania would have wanted and could reasonably have expected.
Challenging though it was, Victoria, with a day and a half to run it down, was under no time pressure.
But the Tasmanians bowled with great discipline, leaving the Victorians no option but to graft.
Matthew Elliott, who made three in 27 minutes, finally lost patience and hit a return catch to Damien Wright trying to pull.
Jason Arnberger (32) and Graeme Rummans (19) stayed together for more than an hour before Oliver removed them both with his zippy medium pace.
What may be the Victorian death blow then came when Adam Griffith returned and from his great height got a brutish ball to rear into Brad Hodge's (14) throat.
He could only fend off a simple catch to gully, leaving the visitors with much to do tomorrow.