KFC Twenty20 Big Bash, 2007-08

Victoria begin title defence in style

Cricinfo staff

December 31, 2007

Andrew McDonald impressed with bat and ball as the KFC Big Bash began with wins for Victoria and Tasmania© Getty Images

Victoria 7 for 187 (McDonald 43) beat Queensland 140 (Maher 44, McDonald 3-22) by 47 runs
Scorecard

A fine all-round display from Andrew McDonald powered defending champions Victoria to victory in their opening Twenty20 match in Townsville. McDonald clubbed 43 off 28 balls, then collected 3 for 22 as Queensland fell 47 runs short in a demanding chase. Victoria benefited from a regular supply of rapid innings, the top three all scoring at better than a run-a-ball. But the Bulls also chipped away at the wickets and Victoria needed a 50-run stand between McDonald and Adam Crosthwaite to take the game way from Queensland. The Bulls' chase started brightly as Jimmy Maher regularly located the boundary, but the target rate was always out of reach as wickets fell. When Maher became McDonald's third victim in the 12th over there was no way back for Queensland and the Bushrangers continued an unbeaten run in Twenty20 stretching back to the start of the competition two years ago.

Tasmania 5 for 189 (Bailey 51*, Anderson 31) beat Western Australia 4 for 188 (Pomersbach 79, Voges 39) by five wickets
Scorecard

George Bailey's superbly-paced 51 off 29 balls guided Tasmania to an impressive five-wicket win against Western Australia as the Tigers chased down an imposing 189 with eight balls to spare. Bailey's innings, which included three sixes, followed a lightning start from the top order. When Travis Birt (27 off 13) fell in the ninth over the total was already 103 after Michael Dighton and Rhett Lockyear cashed in during the fielding restrictions. The Warriors were poor in the field, shelling a number of chances including a costly error by Brett Dorey at long-on when Bailey had 22. Although Tasmania took the honours, the most sustained hitting came from Luke Pomersbach, who hammered 79 off 45 deliveries with nine fours and four sixes. His stand of 94 with Adam Voges lifted the Warriors close to 200, but it wasn't enough to trouble the Tigers.

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