NSW tuned up for Thursday’s domestic one-day preliminary final with a comfortable 49-run win over South Australia in a rain-affected match at Drummoyne Oval on Tuesday.
The Blues, who take on Victoria with a berth in Sunday’s final against Queensland on the line, accumulated a competitive total of 8 for 252 off 42 overs, with further rain reducing the target to 248 off 41.
NSW allrounder Sean Abbott turned in a man of the match performance, adding 3-32 off six overs to his quickfire knock of 50 with the bat.
Test off-spinner Nathan Lyon (3-64) also bowled well for NSW collecting three top-order wickets, although some late hitting blew out his figures.
Tom Cooper was the only South Australian batsman to shine, with the in-form No.3 hitting 73 at better than a run-a-ball.
When Lyon trapped him LBW the Redbacks were reeling at 4-113, and with the required run-rate always rising they were eventually dismissed with 6.1 overs remaining.
Earlier, Australian representative Nic Maddinson hit a rapid-fire 75 off 74 balls to top-score for NSW.
Test opener David Warner looked on track to repeat his recent red-hot form which had reaped successive centuries over the past week, only to miss-hit a big shot and fall for 32 off 23 balls.
Forced from the field in the 33rd over and teetering at 6-173, NSW profited from a seventh-wicket partnership of 81 between Abbott and Steve O’Keefe.
South Australian quick Joe Mennie claimed 4-58, while captain Johan Botha chipped in with 2-29 including the important wicket of Maddinson.
Abbott said NSW were building momentum ahead of the upcoming finals.
“We have a bit more of a roll-on now, especially after we beat Victoria the other day,” he said.
“We spoke in the pre-season about making winning a habit and I think we are starting to get that now.
“There are a lot of positives and if everyone is ready to go in the next match, I think we can put a very good performance on the board.”
davros
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It can be hard for a state like South oz to compete with some of the big east coast juggernaut states ....through the ridiculous scheduling that saw all games played on small suburban roads in Sydney....we gave up our home track advantage and at the same time alienated many of our home dyed in the wool fans from live cricket ....also if we had had Ferg and hughsey available ...I think we would have been very very competitive ...we were allways just an international type batsman or 2 off the pace....and what did we gain by weakening a state like South OZ and playing all games on small suburban syd grounds ?....the likes of warner and Marsh Khawaja posted some big solid scores as did Maxy Klinger ....but how do we rate those scores ?.... knowing that a miss hit from Cam white is still a six at north Sydney and the pitch was a highway ...yep that's just what we needed a mth out from the ashes which will be played on our proper cricket grounds against top class English seem bowling ....Sutherland is a joke and he should resign ....checkout what Ponting has had to say on this subject in todays press