WA collapse to hand Redbacks victory by CricketArchive Staff Reporter

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Ground:	Western Australia Cricket Association Ground, Perth
Scorecard:	Western Australia v South Australia
Player:	MJ Cosgrove
Event:	KFC Twenty20 Big Bash 2009/10

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DateLine: 29th December 2009

 

A combination of different factors like performance from foreign recruits, excellent fielding and an unlikely injury to Western Australian recruit Chris Gayle handed an unlikely win to Redbacks.

 

Chasing a mammoth target of 197 in 20 overs the hosts were given a rousing start by Chris Gayle as smashed the visiting bowlers to all parts of WACA stadium but in the process the West Indian big hitter strained his side muscle. He left the field only for the visitors to crawl back into the match with some quick wickets. When the big hitting southpaw returned he couldn't do much and in the end Western Australia fell short by 29 runs.

 

Earlier Western Australia won the toss and elected to field first. The Redbacks did not get an ideal start as they stumbled to 2-29 early before Cosgrove and Harris put together 48 for the third wicket. Aaron Heal then removed Harris and Afridi in consecutive balls to be on a hattrick but Pollard survived that ball.

 

Cosgrove and Pollard put on 40 in 5.1 overs before the former was dismissed. Cosgrove tried to launch a short ball from Gayle into the orbit but could only lob it up to cover. Borgas came in clubbed consecutive sixes off Heal in the 17th over and then both he and Pollard kept going to bring up the 50-run partnership off 22 balls before Coulter-Nile bowled Pollard for 45.

 

Noffke's last over went for 17 as Borgas and Christian took South Australia to a competitive 196 for 6 in their 20 overs.

 

Western Australia's innings got off to an eventful start with Shaun Tait bowling a no-ball and two wides that both went for boundaries in a first over that cost 13. Gayle then took over as he smashed the Redbacks bowling to smithereens. The tall southpaw simply stood and had a lashed around to score 40 runs in 16 balls before a side strain forced the West Indian to leave the field. It was the opening that the visitors needed and they exploited it to the hilt. Once Gayle left the field the Warriors' momentum slowed when Luke Ronchi was out for 10 from Shahid Afridi's first over and then Shaun Marsh fell for 18 to leave Western Australia 97 for 2 after nine overs.

 

When Mitch Marsh was brilliantly caught and bowled by Haberfield for three the score slipped to 103 for 3. Doropoulos and Voges then put on 37 to consolidate things before Doropoulos (22) went for a big swing and only hit Kieron Pollard straight up in the air, the bowler taking the catch. Afridi clean bowled Ashley Noffke for a duck to leave WA reeling at 150 for 6 needing 47 off 27 balls.

 

That brought Gayle back to the crease and he and Voges took the score to 165 before the WA skipper was trapped in front for a well made 45. Tait then got the big wicket as he got rid of Gayle in the same over when he bowled a short one that the West Indies skipper couldn’t control and South Australian 'keeper Graham Manou took a brilliant catch running back. Gayle was out for 44 from 24 balls.

 

Heal was then out stumped by Manou from Afridi for one and Nathan Coulter-Nile was out attempting a big shot off Afridi for one to end the innings at 167. Afridi took 4-19 for the Redbacks with Christian taking 2-29 and Tait 2-20.