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Domestic final a blessing for one-day game

Roar Guru
27th February, 2012
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Roar Guru
27th February, 2012
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If the 50-over game needed a shot in the arm, it got the proverbial medicine at the Adelaide Oval on Saturday the 25th February.

In case you missed it, South Australia took the domestic title in a thrilling tie with Tasmania after the Tigers fell short in the last over. The tie, while heartbreaking for the Tigers, was the only result that could befit the way the match was played.

The day started positively when SACA announced that they would open the gates for free to reward the long suffering Redbacks fans. As a result, just over 10,000 people turned out on a scorching Adelaide day and they were treated to a Redback blitz.

The Redback’s run rate never dropped below 4.5 RPO as Klinger and Harris put on 133 for the first wicket. However, Tasmania fought back with the ball to keep the chasing target below 300 with a combination of pace and spin. No other Redback made a decent score on the back of good bowling.

Tasmania fought well but seemed to slow as the run rate for the last 20 overs was 8 RPO. Enter George Bailey and Ricky Pointing.

While the batting was good, the Redbacks inept fielding kept the runs flowing at the same time. The master and the apprentice put on a staggering 150-run partnership that seemed to have won the game when Bailey hit a monster six in the 49th over.

While victory seemed assured from there, Gary Putland was not one ready to give up easily. Entrusted with the final over, Putland produced a master class in cricket death bowling that gave the Redback the trophy.

While this is just a short description, it adds up to one of the best one-day matches I have ever seen. I was in the crowd and was amazed with the atmosphere of the match.

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The fans gave a good vibe with good natured banter and tense support to their team. Their reaction to the win is something that should be bottled and distributed around Australia.

Kudos to SACA for making the game free entry as the people of Adelaide responded in their droves (biggest one-day domestic crowd since 2005).

However, the real credit must go to the two teams. They played some of the best cricket ever seen in domestic competitions. While both teams had periods of dominance with the bat on a good track, the bowling team always fought back. Tasmania’s bowlers kept the score below 300 while South Australia’s bowling made runs difficult to get.

All in all, the match was a rollercoaster; something 20/20 cricket can and will never properly delivers due to the absence of time. The positive cricket displayed by both sides should be an example all other sides should follow in the 50-over format.

While there could only be one winner, both sides should feel proud of their efforts as they showed the beauty of 50-over cricket.

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