Sunday, December 2, 2012

Khawaja stars in Bulls' one-day win - ABC Online


Updated December 02, 2012 19:10:00


Test hopeful Usman Khawaja fell 15 runs short of a century but his classy knock proved the catalyst for Queensland's 30-run victory over New South Wales in their one-day clash in Canberra.


Khawaja, one of the leading contenders to replace Ricky Ponting in the Australian Test side, added further evidence to his case for a national recall in an 154-run opening stand with Chris Hartley (87) that laid the platform for the Bulls' total of 6 for 292.


It proved to be enough at Manuka Oval, despite Blues number seven Ben Rohrer (80) farming the strike with aplomb in the final 20 overs to guide the hosts to a point where they needed just 34 runs off 29 balls with two wickets in hand.


Former New South Wales batsman Khawaja peeled off 10 boundaries, including a couple of sweetly-timed cover drives, in his 102-ball stay at the crease, before he was run out after a mid-pitch tangle with Blues quick Josh Lalor.


The 25-year-old slipped, lost his bat, and was found well short of his ground by Moises Henriques' direct hit.


Khawaja hung around, presumably seeking the umpires' opinion on just how much Lalor impeded his running, but was on his way for a well-made 85.


He did offer one chance while on 6 when Steve Smith dropped a catch at point.


Khawaja's final audition before Friday week's first Test against Sri Lanka will be on Thursday, when he captains the Chairman's XI in a three-day tour match against the tourists in Canberra.


His exit initially failed to halt the Bulls' momentum, with paceman Ben Cutting deployed as a pinch-hitting first drop with great success.


Cutting slugged three sixes in a quick-fire 39 before falling to Henriques when Steve O'Keefe snaffled a skied catch, triggering a middle-order collapse from the visitors as they lurched from 1 for 211 to 5 for 225 in the space of 20 balls.


Cutting then did the damage with the ball, snaring the scalps of former Test all-rounder Smith (4) and Peter Nevill (9) to record figures of 2 for 41, while Cameron Gannon snatched the prized wicket of Brad Haddin to start the rot for the home side in the seventh over.


Gannon finished with figures of 5 for 38 from 11.2 overs.


Opener Scott Henry (65) looked the goods for New South Wales, only for his promising knock to end with a spooned catch off Gannon in the 26th over.


Henriques fell in the same over and the hosts looked dead and buried soon after when O'Keefe fell for 6 and the score was 7 for 140, only for Rohrer to turn the game on its head, before New South Wales' chase ultimately fell short.


AAP


Topics: sport, cricket, canberra-2600, act, nsw, brisbane-4000, qld, australia


First posted December 02, 2012 19:03:56



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