NSW have pulled off their second-straight successful run-chase to start the interstate cricket season with a tense four-wicket win over Queensland at Allan Border Field.
The Blues leapfrogged Queensland at the top of the one-day cup competition on Monday after dismissing the Bulls for a paltry 190 and then overcoming some top-order wobbles with a match-winning sixth-wicket stand.
Ben Rohrer (52 off 59 balls) and Ryan Carters (41 not out) came together at 5-96 and took NSW to safe ground with a 91-run partnership that steered them home in the 48th over.
It was the Blues’ pace attack which put a down payment on victory with Josh Hazlewood (3-47), Gurinder Sandhu (3-37) and Moises Henriques (3-28) all bagging three wickets at the small Albion ground.
The disappointing Bulls batsmen only lasted 42.3 overs as their innings fell apart with a 5-33 collapse after Nathan Reardon (45) and James Hopes (39) steadied the ship.
Hazlewood sparked the collapse and he now has 10 wickets from two matches after returning 7-36 – the third-best figures in the competition’s history in Saturday’s four-wicket win over South Australia.
Spinner Jason Floros was the best of the Bulls bowlers, taking 2-32 from his 10 overs to put the brakes on the visitors.