Tasmania and South Australia will both be looking to bolster their ambitions of a finish in the top three and a subsequent spot in the elimination final on Wednesday morning when the two sites meet at Blacktown International Sportspark.
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South Australia’s dramatic last-ball win over Queensland was not just significant in the sense it meant they gave themselves hope of a spot in the elimination final, but also as it means they have already register more wins than they did in either of the past two competitions.
When the other states were given the advantage of having their Test players return, with South Australia’s squad remaining unaltered, it seemed possible that they were set for yet another disappointing season. Yet they now find themselves with wins registered against the tournament two previous winners the sides prospects are looking good.
Part of South Australia’s rejuvenation has been down to the fact that they have depth in their squad, they aren’t too reliant on any one player. Yet even with that being the case when someone scores a double-century on the opening day they are bound to catch attention.
As mesmerising as Head’s 202 was, he has underwhelmed in his two innings since with scores of 0 and 12, though at the same time his captaincy has been credible for someone so inexperienced.
This is important to his states chances as his counterpart George Bailey certainly doesn’t lack experience. In the modern game selectors err to the side of conservatism when selecting a team’s captain, so it speaks volumes of how Bailey’s leadership skills are perceived that he was named captain of the Australian Twenty20 team on his debut.
While that debut must have been a remarable occasion for Bailey, his side’s loss to the Cricket Australia XI, who were decimated in their previous two games, must rank at the other end of the spectrum.
Bailey of course also offers a mixture of skill and resilience with the bat, the latter of which has proved a necessary quality for batsmen at Blacktown this season. The ground has been an oddity in the sense that it has favoured the bowlers above the batsmen with any score of over 200 proving competitive.
With every side winning doing it so far, both Bailey and Head will be looking to bat first on Wednesday. They will also be looking to utilise their spin options well as the lack of pace in the pitch has certainly aided the slower bowlers.
Xaveir Doherty is Tasmania’s primary spin option and has thus far had a solid tournament with his economy never getting far from the four an over mark. If he is on form he may well be able to tie down an end and build pressure.
South Australia’s main spin option is legspinner Adam Zampa, who in many ways is the polar opposite of Doherty. Zampa has constantly looked to attack the batsmen, even on the tiny North Sydney Oval ground, and while his figures may not reflect it, he has looked very dangerous this season. With the protection of the bigger ground he too could be key for South Australia.
A close game is certainly a likelihood as the two sides seemed evenly matched, but on form South Australia probably have the edge on Tasmania and can consider themselves narrow favourites for that reason.
Rellum
Roar Guru
Now things are starting to get interesting in the run up to the finals
Klaus Nannestad
Roar Guru
Final Score TAS: 4/234 SA: 141 (39.4)
Klaus Nannestad
Roar Guru
When you look at the final scores you may think there was never a contest, but that was certainly not the case. Tasmania probably made a total above par on this ground with 234, led by a Tim Paine hundred. But it looked very gettable when Head and Ludeman started dominantly for SA, guiding their side to 0/53 after ten overs. It was at that stage TAS put the breaks on and as the pressure built the wickets began to tumble. Gulbis spearheaded the attack with four, while Clive Rose came on later and took two. With a bonus point collected TAS are now in contention for a spot in the elimination final.
Klaus Nannestad
Roar Guru
WICKET Putland bowled 0 Putland tries to drive and ideal top of off stump ball only to have the ball shoot through the gap between bat and pad and take out his stumps. That is Evan Gulbis's fourth his figures today are 6.4 overs 4/12.
Klaus Nannestad
Roar Guru
WICKET Andrews bowled 9 Gulbis now has a third as he cleans up Tom Andrews. Andrews probably should have played forward but instead tried to defend off the back foot. The angle Gulbis created from going around the wicket to the left hander meant he beat the inside edge. Putland is the last man in.
Klaus Nannestad
Roar Guru
Over 40 .,.,.,.,1,. South Australia: 8/141 Chasing (235) Andrews: 9 Richardson: 2 SA are playing very defensively considering they need just under five an over to stop TAS snaring a bonus point. Rose is bowling well, however, not even SA's top order have managed to succeed against his bowling. Gulbis is back into the attack.
Klaus Nannestad
Roar Guru
Over 39 .,1,.,1,.,. South Australia: 8/140 Chasing (235) Andrews: 8 Richardson: 2 Doherty finishes off his ten overs well. When he was first brought on it seemed SA's openers might take the game away from TAS, but now as he finishes with 1/36 TAS have turned the game completely around.
Klaus Nannestad
Roar Guru
Over 38 .,.,.,.,.,2 South Australia: 8/138 Chasing (235) Andrews: 7 Richardson: 1 Rice almost had a third there as Dunk, who was positioned just on the edge of the pitch on the leg side, puts down a tough chance. Regardless of this it is another good over from Rose who is having a very good game.
Klaus Nannestad
Roar Guru
Over 37 1,.,.,1,.,. South Australia: 8/136 Chasing (235) Andrews: 5 Richardson: 1 SA need to make one 187 to avoid conceding a bonus point to TAS, but as Doherty sends down his ninth even that looks unlikely. Doherty and Rose may be similar bowlers but they have operated well in tandem today.
Klaus Nannestad
Roar Guru
Over 36 1,1,1,W,.,1 South Australia: 8/134 Chasing (235) Andrews: 4 Richardson: 0 Good bowling once more from Rose but TAS are having plenty of help from SA who have made a meal of this chase after their openers gave them a great platform.
Klaus Nannestad
Roar Guru
WICKET Mennie Run Out 5 Awful running from SA. It would've been a fairly comfortable single but a couple of hesitations from both batters enable Doherty to give Paine time to take off the bails. It was a pretty good throw from Doherty at backward point, in truth it could have been a bad throw and Mennie still would have been out. Richardson is now in.
Klaus Nannestad
Roar Guru
Over 35 .,.,1,.,1,. South Australia: 7/130 Chasing (235) Andrews: 3 Mennie: 3 Doherty has not had too much to worry about in his last few overs, it is easy to forget that when he came on SA were rampant.
Klaus Nannestad
Roar Guru
Over 34 .,1,W,1,1,1 South Australia: 7/128 Chasing (235) Andrews: 2 Mennie: 2 South Australia are in deep trouble now as Rose bags his second. Unless there are any fireworks from the tail they have little hope.
Rellum
Roar Guru
game over.
Klaus Nannestad
Roar Guru
It's actually Andrews who is next in.
Klaus Nannestad
Roar Guru
WICKER Ross bowled 7 Rose now has two and South Australia's chances are dwindling quickly. It may have been a bit quicker from Rose as Ross played back to defend it only to be deceived by the pace and have his stumps disturbed. Even with the change of pace it seemed a pretty straightforward ball. Richardson is next in.
Klaus Nannestad
Roar Guru
Over 33 1,1,1,2,4,W South Australia: 6/124 Chasing (235) Ross: 7 Mennie: 0 SA have really struggled to get after Doherty and just as it seemed Zampa had found a way Doherty bit back and got his wicket.
Klaus Nannestad
Roar Guru
WICKET Zampa caught keeper 14 Zampa was looking to swing and pulled off a few nice shots, but top edges this one as he looked to send a slog sweep to the rope. The ball went up to point and Paine ran over to it from behind the stumps to take what would've been a simple catch had he not almost collided with Clive Rose who was also coming in for the catch. Mennie is in.
Klaus Nannestad
Roar Guru
Doherty is back for his third spell.
Klaus Nannestad
Roar Guru
Over 32 .,.,.,1,1,4 South Australia: 5/115 Chasing (235) Ross: 5 Zampa: 7 Zampa looks like he is going to attack and it may be what is needed for SA. Rose has been very impressive today and may well enjoy the batters coming after him.