WA pip Queensland by five runs at Gabba

11 Feb 2012, 10:55 pm   -   Source: AAP
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Western Australia beat Queensland by five runs in the one-day cricket match in Brisbane, denting the Bulls hopes of making the final.

A magnificent century by Nathan Reardon was not enough to stop Western Australia grabbing a dramatic five-run victory that dented Queensland's chances of making the one-day final.

Reardon's 113-ball 116 - his maiden ton - was in vain as the Bulls were bowled out for 279 in the final over at the Gabba, chasing WA's 9-284.

With Queensland needing nine off the final over, Reardon chanced his arm too many times and was caught on the boundary off the first ball by Nathan Coulter-Nile (1-84).

In the end, tailender Alister McDermott needed a six off the final ball to complete the highest successful domestic one-day run chase at the Gabba, but it was not to be.

It was the third straight loss for the Bulls and the first win for dead last Western Australia.

Third-placed Queensland must now pull off a big win over second-placed Tasmania in Hobart on Wednesday to be any chance of joining South Australia in the February 25 one-day final.

Reardon gave his side a chance with a 117-run fourth-wicket stand with Joe Burns (82).

Reardon hit 10 fours and two sixes in his knock that lasted almost three hours.

Earlier, captain Marcus North (93) helped WA reach 9-284 off their 50 overs after losing opener Shaun Marsh for seven.

He combined with Adam Voges (62) in a 141-run, fourth-wicket stand before Ben Cutting (4-68 off 13 overs) sparked a Queensland fightback with the ball.

WA were cruising at 3-205 but stumbled, at one stage losing 5-47.

However, the Warriors were still able to post their biggest one-day total at the Gabba, eclipsing their previous best of 6-264 posted in the 1999-2000 season.

The stand between North - who hit 12 fours and a six - and Voges was sensationally snapped in the 38th over.

Voges - who was dropped on 59 - was sent back at the non-striker's end by North, only to be caught short by a direct hit from Queensland stand-in skipper Ryan Broad.

Alister McDermott - fresh from his 7-24 haul in Queensland's dramatic one-wicket Sheffield Shield loss to WA this week - took 2-69 off 13 overs.

"It was good to get a hundred for myself. That's like a monkey off the back for me, but it doesn't really count for much if we lose," a devastated Reardon said.

Of his lusty hit on the first ball of the final over, Reardon said: "I thought I had enough on it - it was like it got caught up in the wind."

Reardon still backed Queensland to pull off a bonus-point win over Tasmania next week and make the one-day final.

"We only have ourselves to blame if we don't make it," he said of Queensland which won their first four one-day games this season.

North's nerves were jangling with the one-day thriller coming just two days after WA's one-wicket Shield victory.

"Reardo batted beautifully today. That is the best I have seen him bat. He was nearly the difference," North said.

"At the end of the day, we were lucky enough to snuck home."

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