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Ferguson ton gives SA win over WA

23rd October, 2011
4

West Australian Luke Ronchi launched a daring counter-punch, but South Australian Callum Ferguson dealt the knockout blow in the Redbacks’ tense two-wicket win in Sunday’s one-dayer.

Chasing 234 to win, Ferguson’s unbeaten 110 steered SA to 8-235 and victory with 12 balls to spare at Adelaide Oval.

Ferguson’s ton cancelled out earlier heroics from Ronchi, who slapped an unbeaten 113 from 100 balls to rescue the Warriors from a wobbly 5-67 to their eventual total of 7-233.

But Ferguson’s cool century ensured the Redbacks’ consecutive one-day wins while while leaving WA winless in the competition.

SA’s chase appeared doomed when 8-170 in the 38th over.

But Ferguson found a willing ally in Nathan Lyon, who went to the crease with only five one-day runs to his name, but strode from the ground with an invaluable 37.

Ferguson and Lyon put on an unbroken 65 runs to nullify fine bowling feats from Michael Beer and Nathan Coulter-Nile.

Beer (3-39 from 13 overs) opened the bowling and trapped Dan Harris lbw first ball, the SA’s opener’s second golden duck in a row in the limited overs competition.

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After a steadying 66-run union between Ferguson and Redbacks skipper Michael Klinger, Coulter-Nile produced a defining spell.

The tall quick dismissed Klinger (38) nand Tom Cooper (five) before later claiming dangerous all-rounder Dan Christian (six) to have SA on the ropes before Ferguson and Lyon combined.

Earlier, Ronchi salvaged the Warriors’ innings with his third domestic one-day century.

Coming to crease with WA wobbling at 5-67, Ronchi initially consolidated before launching a brazen late attack.

The wicketkeeper-batsman struck three sixes and 11 boundaries and raced from 50 to a century in just 29 deliveries.

Ronchi was the sole WA batsman to pass 26 and dominated an unbroken 110-run partnership for the eighth wicket with Nathan Rimmington (26 not out).

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