A five-wicket haul by left-arm quick Sam Rainbird has helped Tasmania seal a convincing 132-run bonus-point one-day cup win over Victoria at Brisbane’s Allan Border Field on Wednesday.
Man-of-the-match Jon Wells’ unbeaten 110 helped lift the Tigers from 5-75 to 7-287 off their 50 overs after being sent in before Rainbird (5-29 off 8.2 overs) routed the Bushrangers for 155 by the 30th over.
Victoria (1-2 win-loss record) looked like a different team to the one which sealed a four-wicket win over South Australia at the Gabba on Monday night.
Cameron White was a case in point.
Rainbird was on a hat-trick when he clean bowled White for a golden duck just days after the Bushrangers dangerman struck an unbeaten, match-winning 102 against the Redbacks.
Andrew Fekete (2-40 off seven overs) was also on a hat-trick when he trapped Scott Boland in front, reducing Victoria to 8-69.
Veteran David Hussey (54 including nine fours) and Clint McKay (57 off 49) chanced their arm on the tiny ground in a free-wheeling 77-run ninth wicket stand before Tasmania finally crushed their resolve.
Earlier, Wells brought up his ton in the final over of Tasmania’s innings, thrashing John Hastings (0-66) for three fours before a six off the last delivery to cap an entertaining 95-ball knock.
The Tigers were reeling at 5-75 before Wells combined with Evan Gulbis (63) in a 129-run, 106-ball sixth wicket stand at the petite Allan Border Field.
Wells provided Tasmania a confidence boost after they lost Tim Paine to the gastro bug that kept the ex-Test batsman out of Hobart’s recent Champions League Twenty20 semi-final in India.
Jordan Silk, 22, took over the Tigers captaincy after spinner Xavier Doherty was called up to the Australian one-day squad.
Tasmania (1-0 record) next face Wednesday’s other on-day winners Western Australia at the Gabba on Saturday.
Victoria take on the unbeaten NSW at North Sydney Oval on Sunday.