Both the New South Wales Blues and South Australia Redbacks will be looking to add to their strong opening day wins when they take to the field at North Sydney Oval in the 2015 One-Day Cup. Join The Roar for live scores and commentary from 9.45am (AEDT).
EXPERT OPINION: One Day Cup will decide Australian Test selections
The announcement on October 2nd that the players selected for Australia’s cancelled tour of Bangladesh would be available for the Matador Cup would’ve received very mixed reactions among the state sides.
New South Wales had the largest number of players returning with five in total joining up with what was an already formidable side.
On the other hand, South Australia had none of their players selected for the national team and therefore remain unchanged and at a potential disadvantage.
It seemed a disadvantage that had the potential to end South Australia’s tournament before it started. They have struggled in recent editions of this competition, finishing bottom of the table in the last two years and only registering one victory in each.
On Monday though having chased down 350 against last year’s champions, Western Australia, they may be expecting better things this season.
It was South Australia’s new captain Travis Head who led the chase with a blistering 202, only the third List A double-century by an Australian cricketer. Callum Ferguson, who may well have had his own ambitions for the captaincy, having much more experience than Head, put in a classy performance of his own with an unbeaten 112.
New South Wales meanwhile took on the new Cricket Australia XI and were never challenged. Australian captain Steve Smith won the toss before top scoring with 143 not out, while Nic Maddison made 108 as New South Wales made 338.
Mitchell Starc then ripped through the young batting order, taking 6 for 25 as they claimed the biggest win in Australian domestic one-day history, knocking the Cricket Australia XI over for 59.
Regardless of the international players, New South Wales certainly have a strong squad with plenty of depth. Nic Maddison showed this in their first game, and last year when these sides met setting up a New South Wales victory, scoring 84 from just 54 balls.
The match ended up being a close affair, though it is worth remembering that South Australia were being driven forward by their then captain Johan Botha. While the depth he offered with the bat was not missed on Monday his control with the ball certainly was.
North Sydney Oval favours batsmen and for this reason there are likely to be a lot of runs scored when the two teams meet. But the immense strength of the returning Test players means New South Wales are definite favourites.
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Lyn Brain
Guest
Very inciteful comments, Klaus. The Roar shows great discernment in choosing you to enhance the game with such wisdom.
Klaus Nannestad
Roar Guru
Lyon and O'Keefe did a really good job when Smith brought them on early and ensured SA didn't get back into the game. It is a bit of a shame that Lyon didn't get the figures he deserved because had he gotten a couple more wickets there would probably be a lot more people calling for him to be in Australia's ODI side.
Klaus Nannestad
Roar Guru
I certainly think they could have tried a bit harder to get set before they started swinging, but even when Raphael and Cooper did this they failed to lift the run rate. It could be that New South Wales don't really have a bowler who the opposition can target, Henriques didn't even bowl.
Sideline Comm.
Guest
Really impressive bowling performance. Lyon underrepresented on the scorecard again but seems to have bowled very well, keeping the pressure on.
Rellum
Roar Guru
So was that a result of SA batsmen continuing to attack as well as good bowling?
Klaus Nannestad
Roar Guru
Final Score: NSW: 9/266 (50) SA: 110 (31.3)
Klaus Nannestad
Roar Guru
The margin of victory is 156, as New South Wales pick up the double bonus point. After the first innings it seemed SA were favourites but NSW bowling performance was exceptional, Starc leading the way with 4 wickets, he also gets the man of the match award. Now with only two games played but 12 points on the board you'd expect NSW to make the top three quite comfortably and maybe even get the spot. For SA things are less certain, their batting bailed them out in the first game but here it is the batters who were ate fault, the bowling attack certainly did their job.
Klaus Nannestad
Roar Guru
WICKET Putland bowled 8 Starc gets his fourth and NSW get their tenth. It's all over as SA are bowled out for a hugely dissappointing 110. It was a typical Starc delivery to the tail, full and angling into off, Putland had little chance.
Klaus Nannestad
Roar Guru
Over 31 6,.,.W,1,1 South Australia: 9/109 (Chasing 267) Putland: 1 Mennie: 11 A well earned wicket for Lyon. The top order batters couldn't get him away so it made sense that if the tail went after him he'd get a wicket.
Klaus Nannestad
Roar Guru
WICKET Andrews stumped 8 Lyon gets his revnge. It was a well flighted delivery and Andrews wanted another six, but it drifted past the outside edge and gave Neville an easy stumping which he graciously accepted. Putland is in.
Klaus Nannestad
Roar Guru
Lyon comes on and is belted over his head for six by Andrews first ball. Nice way to get your first List A boundary.
Sideline Comm.
Guest
And that'll be it regardless. Pity if it was not out.
Klaus Nannestad
Roar Guru
Over 30 .,.,.,.,.,1 South Australia: 8/101 (Chasing 267) Andrews: 2 Mennie: 10 Andrews plays out that Starc over quite competently. SA may just focus on trying to get to 134 now to deny NSW the double bonus point.
Klaus Nannestad
Roar Guru
If NSW get the double bonus point for the second time they will essentially have the points equivalent of three wins in just two matches.
Klaus Nannestad
Roar Guru
Over 29 2,W,.,.,.,1 South Australia: 8/100 (Chasing 267) Andrews: 1 Mennie: 10 O'Keefe has bowled very well today and with that wicket his figures are starting to reflect that. SA bring uo the hundred but probably 10 overs to late and with six wickets too many. If NSW keep SA under 134 they get the double bonus point.
Klaus Nannestad
Roar Guru
WICKET Richardson 7 caught deep O'Keefe has a second and it is well deserve. His first spell with Lyon, who took the catch at long on, has proved vital to his teams success and now he is reaping the rewards in his second. Richardson had decided to go big and almost went big enough, but Lyon was afforded a fairly straight forward catch on the rope.
Klaus Nannestad
Roar Guru
Over 28 1,1,.,1,.,. South Australia: 7/97 (Chasing 267) Richardson: 5 Mennie: 10 Starc is continuing to ball well, but in all honesty the fact that this pair is playing him as well as any other SA batters have shows SA haven't handled Starc that well.
Klaus Nannestad
Roar Guru
Over 28 .,.,1,.,1,. South Australia: 7/94 (Chasing 267) Richardson: 3 Mennie: 9 O'Keefe is back on but Smith isn't particularly keen to go all out attack, neither are the batters.
Klaus Nannestad
Roar Guru
Over 26 .,1,.,.,wd,.,1 South Australia: 7/92 (Chasing 267) Richardson: 2 Mennie: 8 For Starc it is now all about wickets, he is bowling full and more often than not targetting the stumps. O'Keefe comes back on after a very impressive first spell.
Klaus Nannestad
Roar Guru
Over 25 .,.,.,.,1,1 South Australia: 7/89 (Chasing 267) Richardson: 1 Mennie: 7 Good bowling once agin by Abbott, thoguh he could probably afford to be a bit fuller now that NSW are into the tail. He will be hoping to pick up one or two more now to cap off a good performance.