Iain Strachan and James Willoughby, Sportal
For all KFC Twenty20 Big Bash news
New South Wales have kept their KFC Twenty20 Big Bash campaign alive with a thrilling 17-run victory over Victoria at the MCG on Saturday night.
After the victors won the toss and elected to bat, they slumped to 5-69 before unbeaten half-centuries from Usman Khawaja (65) and Steve O’Keefe (50) rescued the Blues innings and lifted them to 7-168.
Victoria were cruising in reply, at 1-100, before a dramatic collapse of 6-42 saw the reigning champions struggle to 7-151, a result that ends Victoria’s finals hopes.
New South Wales debutant Patrick Cummins (1-27) bowled a good first over and was awfully unlucky not to remove Ryan Carters in his second, having the opener dropped twice in consecutive deliveries.
Aaron Finch (53) took the majority of the strike and continued his impressive KFC Twenty20 Big Bash form, as the pair added 49 before Cummins finally removed his man at the third time of asking, with Carters dismissed for 18 after a mis-timed drive.
The wicket brought Brad Hodge (22) to the crease and he and Finch quickly got to work, with Finch bringing up his half-century with a six over long-on.
But disaster struck in the 12th over, when O’Keefe produced a vital double-salvo.
With the score already at 100, wickets were required and the left-arm spinner produced, beating Finch in flight before his eventual stumping while also trapping Hodge in front.
Victoria had lost 3-3 in six deliveries when Andrew McDonald drove Scott Coyte (2-35) straight at cover and what seemed a routine run-chase was now in serious danger.
Michael Hill (16) and Matthew Wade (8) joined each other at the crease but struggled with the increasing run-rate, before two wickets in two balls from Twenty20 debutant Sean Abbott (2-25) made life exceptionally difficult for Victoria.
The 18-year-old’s first victim was Hill, who was caught on the fence by Coyte, before he removed Wade when the dangerous wicketkeeper-batsman spooned a delivery to Moises Henriques at cover.
With the required run-rate at over two runs a ball, debutants Evan Gulbis (11no) and Daniel Salpietro (8) tried their best, but the run-rate was simply too high.
Salpietro was dismissed trying to hit Coyte out of the ground as Victoria entered the final over needing 21 – a mountain that proved to be too high.
Cummins held his nerve impressively in the final over, conceding just four, as Victoria – who have made all five KFC Twenty20 Big Bash Finals – lost their third match in succession, ending their chances of making it six in a row.
Earlier, brilliant spells from Dirk Nannes (3-23) and young gun James Pattinson (3-22) had the Blues reeling, as Phillip Hughes (2), David Warner (10) and Daniel Smith (4) and failed to make an impression on the scoreboard.
Moises Henriques chipped in with a brisk 20 from 12 deliveries before his dismissal, which led to arguably the moment of the match.
New batsman Ben Rohrer – who hit an impressive 47 against Tasmania on Wednesday – had faced just three balls before a superb catch from Finch ended his stay at the crease.
Rohrer lofted a shot towards third man that appeared set for a boundary before a sprinting Finch stuck out his right arm and took a wonderful catch.
But Khawaja and O’Keefe saved the day for the young New South Wales side, adding 71 in 50 deliveries before a cameo from Tim Armstrong (11no) saw the Blues reach 168.
The total proved to be enough, with New South Wales inflicting Victoria’s first KFC Twenty20 Big Bash loss at the MCG and setting up a mouth-watering State-of-Origin class with Queensland at the Gabba on Monday night, which could determine their campaign.
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