Queensland ends South Australia’s hopes of winning a fourth one-day JLT Cup
QUEENSLAND ended South Australia’s run in the JLT Cup competition, as the Redbacks failed to chase down the Bulls’ total despite a second successive century from Callum Ferguson in the rain-affected qualifying final at North Sydney Oval.
BACK-TO-BACK centuries from Callum Ferguson failed to save South Australia from a JLT Cup finals exit against bogey side Queensland at North Sydney Oval on Wednesday night.
Queensland made a formidable 5-363 through tag team half centuries from Sam Heazlett, Chris Lynn and Test discard Joe Burns. It was the Bulls’ second win against the Redbacks this season.
The Redbacks were sniffing victory at 4/295 in the 42nd over of the rain-affected contest before a 4/16 collapse delivered a 24-run Duckworth-Lewis loss.
Australian Twenty20 keeper-batsman was Alex Carey (25, 17) was claimed by man of the match Mitch Swepson (3/64) which was the trigger for the Redbacks demise as Ferguson (101), Adam Zampa (1) and Joe Mennie (2) followed in quick succession.
Ferguson was deceived by a widish slower ball from Mark Steketee (3/67) in the No.3’s only false shot of the night.
Ferguson had put on 76 with skipper Jake Lehmann (38, 55) and promoted No.5 Tom Cooper (35, 39) but a decisive middle-order stand eluded the Redbacks as it had most of the tournament. Lehmann fell edging leg-spinner Swepson to keeper Jimmy Peirson.
Ferguson is now in the top five JLT Cup run scorers this season with 328 at 54 having crunched 133 against Victoria and his ninth competition ton against the Bulls.
Jake Weatherald provided South Australia another rocket launch, smashing 69 off 59 balls. The left-hander blazed four sixes including one off firebrand Billy Stanlake that almost took out a Fox Sports camera operator.
Weatherald has 261 runs at 52 this series including a ton in SA’s tournament opener against New South Wales in Perth.
Weatherald put on 89 with Conor McInerney (24, 29) before before the debutant opener was trapped in front by tweaker Matthew Kuhnemann (3/60). Weatherald holed out to Kuhnemann just as the Darwin product looked set for a second ton of the tournament.
Bulls opener Heazlett (83, 59) smashed nine boundaries and five sixes while featuring in a 77-run, second wicket assault with Chris Lynn (68, 70). Burns brought the Bulls home with an undefeated 80 in 77 balls.
Redbacks quick Kane Richardson’s initial three overs cost 41 runs. It took one-day linchpin Cam Valente (2/77) to check the Bulls charge through the middle overs.
Allrounder Valente combined with Ferguson to prevent a Heazlett century before accepting a return chance from Lynn, inconvenienced by a calf injury.
Former Test seamer Mennie made the initial breakthrough, snaring inform Bulls opener Max Bryant (30) then Charles Hemphrey (16).