Davis ton sees WA home

Sporting News Logo

Top order batsmen Liam Davis and Marcus North have led Western Australia to an upset win over Victoria at the MCG on Saturday night.

Chasing the Bushrangers' 8-236, the Warriors cruised home with nine balls to spare.

Davis blasted 108 from 125 balls to notch his second straight Ryobi Cup ton following his 116 against NSW in Sydney last Saturday.

North, who was dropped twice, fell just short of his century and finished 94 not out from 97 balls.

The pair put on 176 before Davis was out caught behind in the only wicket to fall during the match's final stage after the Bushrangers had set the Warriors 130 to win from 25 overs.

The match-winning partnership looked on the cards as far back as before the main break with North (31 from 29 balls) and Liam Davis (53 from 59) carrying on from the first innings.

The longer the partnership lasted during the match's lacklustre conclusion the less threatening the Victorian bowlers looked.

Neither Peter Siddle (1-52 from 11 overs), Dirk Nannes (0-50 from eight) nor Shane Harwood (2-51) looked like bowling the Vics back into contention.

Leg-spinner Bryce McGain (0-37) and medium-pacer Andrew McDonald (0-25) also struggled to have an impact.

WA had dominated most of the match and only an unbeaten century from wicketkeeper-batsman Matthew Wade kept Victoria in the hunt heading into the final session.

After threatening skies cleared in time for the start of play the Bushrangers were sent in to bat and could only manage 2-80 from their first 20 overs. Debutant Matt Dixon snared the key wicket of Brad Hodge for 12.

In reply WA, lost only Luke Ronchi (four) and Michael Swart (13) on the way to 107.

While both sides had lost two wickets at the end of their first 20 overs, it was the Warriors who found scoring easier and their 27-run first innings lead proved crucial to the win.

The victory, which included a bonus fifth point for winning the first stage, boosts WA off the bottom of table ahead of their next clash against South Australia on Wednesday at Adelaide Oval.

The Vics take on Tasmania in a Sheffield Shield match starting Monday.

Victoria 1stFinch not out 31 (63)Rogers b Heal 1 (4)Hodge c Davis b Dixon 12 (27)Hussey not out 21 (27)Total: 80 (2 wickets, 20 overs)FoW: 1-3, 2-45

BowlingHeal 3 - 0 - 12 - 1Hogan 6 - 0 -12 - 0Johnston 3 - 0 - 13 - 0Duffield 4 - 0 - 20 - 0Dixon 4 - 0 - 16 - 1

Western Australia 1st InningsDavis not out 53 (59)Ronchi c Hussey b Harwood 4 (5)Swart lbw b Siddle 13 (27)North not out 31 (29Total: 107 (2 wickets, 20 overs)FoW: 1-8, 2-51

BowlingHarwood 6 - 0 - 15 - 1Nannes 3 - 0 - 23 - 0Siddle 5 - 0 - 16 - 1McDonald 4 - 0 - 25 - 0McGain 2 - 0 - 9 - 0

Victoria 2nd InningsFinch c Ronchi b Hogan 32 (67)Hussey c Pomersbach b Hogan 51 (66)McDonald b Hogan 0 (4)Wade not out 101 (81)Hill c Ronchi b Marsh 12 (14)Sheridan c Pomersbach b Hogan 0 (3)Siddle c b Hogan 6 (5)Harwood not out 0 (0)Extras: 21 (12lb, 8w, 0b)

Total: 107 (2 wickets, 20 overs)FoW: 3-85, 4-85, 5-161, 6-202 7-203, 8-230

BowlingHogan 12 - 0 - 44 - 5Johnston 3 - 0 - 13 - 0Heal 6 - 0 - 41 - 1Duffield 7 - 0 - 43 - 0Dixon 8 - 0 - 39 - 1Voges 1 - 0 - 4 - 0Marsh 8 - 0 - 40 - 1

Western Australia 2nd InningsDavis c Wade b Harwood 108 (125)North not out 94 (97)Extras: 11Total: 239 (3 wickets, 20 overs)

BowlingHarwood 9.3 - 0 - 51 - 2Nannes 8 - 0 - 50 - 0Siddle 11 - 0 - 52 - 1McDonald 4 - 0 - 25 - 0McGain 8 - 0 - 37 - 0

Author(s)