Vince Rugari
at the Gabba
Western Australia have finally secured their first Ryobi One-Day Cup win of the season, holding on for a nailbiting five-run victory over Queensland at the Gabba on Saturday night.
The bottom-placed Warriors set the hosts a mammoth total after their first innings ended at 9-284, with a stunning captain's knock from Marcus North (93 off 95 balls) setting them on their way.
Despite a gallant chase led by centurion Nathan Reardon (116 from 113) and young gun Joe Burns, who smacked 82 off 97 deliveries for his highest-ever domestic one-day score, the Bulls fell just short.
Needing nine runs from the last over to win, Reardon went for glory but was caught on the rope by Travis Birt, effectively ending his side's chances.
The loss leaves Queensland's hopes of making the Ryobi Cup final hanging by a thread, with a bonus point victory needed in Tasmania on Wednesday night to progress.
The hosts got off to a very rocky start in their run chase, losing Ryan Broad (0), Andrew Robinson (19) and Chris Lynn (6) cheaply, but firebrand Burns' fourth-wicket 117-run stand with Reardon gave them hope.
The two worked well together, reaching their 100 partnership in 122 balls - admirable, but not quick enough given the task ahead of them.
Burns (six fours, two sixes) was dropped on 70 by Rimmington at mid-off - and with a new lease of life and a need to get a move on, he started to let rip.
Two overs later, he smashed Nathan Coulter-Nile (1-84) for six straight over the mid-wicket fence.
But trying to replicate that feat was his undoing - his drive down towards long-off fell straight down the throat of Birt, and he was gone.
With Burns out, Reardon tried his best to carry on his former partner's decisive stroke play.
Coulter-Nile and Michael Beer (1-58) bore the brunt of his fury as he brought Queensland to the double-century mark in 236 balls with his 11 fours and two sixes.
He was fast running out of partners however, as the lively Steve Paulsen fell victim to a terrific throw from North to be run out after a 23-run cameo - followed by Ben Dunk for just five.
But with Ben Cutting by his side, Reardon continued Queensland's incredible chase and sealed his first domestic one-day hundred off the same amount of deliveries.
Cutting, too, was run out, but Reardon remained and he continued on his merry way - until he was caught out right at the death.
Earlier, Warriors captain North's partnership with Adam Voges, worth 141 off just 132, tore Queensland to shreds.
Like the Bulls, WA lost three early wickets - Shaun Marsh (7), Travis Birt (0) and Liam Davis (35) - but it mattered little when North and Voges took control.
The Warriors remain rock bottom on the Ryobi Cup table, but they would be delighted with the manner of their victory - and that it came away from home, over such a difficult opposition.
Queensland Innings
Broad c Ronchi b Rimmington 0 (2)
Robinson c Coulter-Nile b Behrendorff 19 (22)
Burns c Birt b Beer 82 (97)
Lynn lbw b Behrendorff 6 (17)
Reardon c Birt b Coulter-Nile 116 (113)
Paulsen run out (North) 23 (22)
Dunk c Duffield b Behrendorff 5 (8)
Cutting run out (North) 14 (6)
Ipson run out (Davis) 7 (8)
Swan run out (Ronchi) 3 (3)
McDermott not