Queensland needed only 20 minutes on the final morning to complete a 10-wicket win over Tasmania at the Gabba on Saturday, while New South Wales beat South Australia by 98 runs at Cricket Central and Victoria’s high-scoring clash with Western Australia ended in a draw at the MCG.
Set just 19 runs after Tasmania were bowled out for 233 in the third day’s evening gloom, Queensland’s openers polished off the chase in 5.1 overs, with Hugo Burdon 8 not out and Angus Lovell 6 not out. It was the Bulls’ second win of the season and a winning start for captain Marnus Labuschagne on his return from the South Africa Test tour.
The win was built on Queensland’s bowling. The hosts made 348 and then bowled Tasmania out for 133 and 233 after enforcing the follow-on. Cameron Gannon leads the competition with 21 wickets, Mitchell Swepson has 13, and 21-year-old Tom Straker took 4 for 33 in the second innings, all while Queensland were missing Xavier Bartlett and Jem Ryan to injury.
Labuschagne fell for 12 but claimed his 100th first-class wicket with 3 for 6 and 1 for 34. Jack Clayton made 52 to take his season tally to 355 runs at an average of 71. Tasmania were without Riley Meredith, replaced by Marcus Bean after his call-up to Australia’s ODI squad for Sunday’s match against England in Adelaide.
In Sydney, New South Wales completed their first win of the season by bowling defending champions South Australia out for 191. Resuming at 2 for 50 and chasing 289, South Australia were dismantled as Nathan Lyon took three wickets, Jake Scott four and Liam Hatcher three. It was New South Wales’ first win at Cricket Central, lifting them to fourth. Sam Konstas, whose career-best 173 had set up the match, was named player of the match, while South Australia have now lost three in a row and slumped to second-bottom.
At the MCG, Victoria and Western Australia shook hands on a draw after just 16 wickets fell in four days. Victoria declared at 402 for 5, built on Peter Handscomb’s unbeaten 169 and Macdonald’s 116, in reply to Western Australia’s 424, in which Corey Wasley made an unbeaten 179. Resuming on Saturday trailing by 15 runs, nightwatchman Todd Murphy scored his maiden first-class half-century, 63 from 90 balls, before Ashton Agar bowled him, and the hosts reached 109 for 1 before the sides called it quits midway through a rain-interrupted afternoon.
It was Victoria’s second straight draw, while Western Australia remain undefeated after four rounds. Western Australia stay top on 19.95 points, just ahead of Queensland on 19.12. The next round begins on November 21, when New South Wales host Queensland.
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