Noffke haunts old mates

Ashley Noffke wasted no time coming back to haunt Queensland with a man-of-the-match performance to help Western Australia to a thrilling win in the Ford Ranger Cup match at the WACA.

Ironically Noffke left Queensland because it didn't want him playing in limited overs games, but his 1-19 with the ball and 43 with the bat ensured WA won the season-opener despite a scare after a batting collapse chasing 162.

Noffke's innings lasted until WA needed three runs to win and it went down to the last over, but Brad Knowles hit the winning runs as WA moved to 8-162 to win by two wickets with three balls to spare.

Western Australia's bowlers all did well to start the day restricting Queensland to 9-161 from its 50 overs and started well enough with the bat to be 1-50, but soon after slumped to 5-62, then 6-83 and 7-110.

Brett Dorey and Noffke had put the Warriors in a strong position earlier in the day finishing with figures of 3-29 and 1-19 respectively, and then came together with the bat needing 52 runs to win and combined for WA's biggest partnership of the innings.

Noffke top scored with 43 and Dorey helped to be 15 not out for the win as the Warriors just did enough.

Craig McDermott's 18-year-old son Alister was terrific with the ball for the Bulls picking up the prized scalp of North and then David Bandy. He finished with 2-21 from 10 overs.

His wicket of North was lucky when the Test star was given out caught behind by umpire Mick Martell despite the ball flicking his pad and both 'keeper Chris Hartley and McDermott not appealing.

His second wicket of Bandy was a better decision by the same umpire as McDermott jagged it back and Bandy didn't offer a shot.

All Queensland's bowlers did well with Ben Laughlin finishing with 3-33, Nathan Rimmington 1-30 and Ben Cutting 2-26.

WA's innings started solidly enough until Shaun Marsh was trapped in front off the bowling of Ben Cutting for five with the score on 21. North and Wes Robinson then looked solid until North copped his bad decision.

The score was 2-50 with Voges the next to go when he skied an attempted pull off Laughlin. Bandy was next to fall and Robinson's fighting 24 off 63 balls came to an end when Cutting outfoxed him.

That left WA 5-62 and Luke Ronchi came out blazing hit three fours before being caught behind for 16 off Laughlin. WA was 6-83 before Theo Doropoulos fell for 17 to leave Noffke and Dorey to save the day.

Lee Carseldine was the only Queensland batsman to pose any threat to WA as he made a classy 54.

Dorey (3-29), Noffke (1-19), Michael Hogan (1-31), Brad Knowles (3-53) and North (1-25) bowled well to give WA what appeared to be the advantage at the change of innings.

Chris Hartley worked hard for 36 off 83 balls to try to help Queensland to some sort of a respectable score, with tail-ender Ben Laughlin (14 not out) the only other batsman to pass 10.

Carseldine looked terrific, following on from his brilliant 2008/09 season where he was the Ford Ranger Cup leading run scorer. His 54 came off 81 balls and included seven boundaries.

Western Australia innings
Marsh lbw b Cutting 5 (13)
Robinson c Rimmington b Cutting 24 (63)
North c Hartley b McDermott 19 (34)
Voges c Broad b Laughlin 0 (7)
Bandy lbw b McDermott 5 (13)
Doropoulos lbw b Rimmington 17 (32)
Ronchi c Hartley b Laughlin 16 (15)
Noffke c Carseldine b Laughlin 43 (74)
Dorey not out 15 (39)
Knowles not out 2 (7)

Extras: 16 (lb 6, w 10)
Total: 162 (8 wickets; 49.3 overs)

FoW: 1-21 (Marsh), 2-50 (North), 3-55 (Voges), 4-61 (Bandy), 5-62 (Robinson), 6-83 (Ronchi), 7-110 (Doropoulos), 8-159 (Noffke)

Queensland Bowling:
Rimmington 10 – 0 – 30 – 1
Cutting 10 – 1 – 26 – 2 (4wd)
McDermott 10 – 3 – 21 – 2 (3wd)
Laughlin 10 – 1 – 33 – 3 (3wd)
Simpson 9.3 – 0 – 46 – 0

Queensland innings
Reardon lbw b Dorey 6 (17)
Broad lbw b Noffke 4 (15)
Carseldine c Voges b Knowles 54 (81)
Batticciotto b Dorey 10 (32)
Philipson c Bandy b Hogan 0 (10)
Hartley c Ronchi b Knowles 36 (83)
Simpson lbw b Dorey 10 (16)
Rimmington c Bandy b North 9 (13)
Cutting c Ronchi b Knowles 6 (13)
Laughlin not out 14 (18)
McDermott not out 1 (2)

Extras: 11 (lb 4, w 7)
Total: 161 (9 wickets; 50 overs)

FoW: 1-11 (Reardon), 2-11 (Broad), 3-58 (Batticciotto), 4-67 (Philipson), 5-86 (Carseldine), 6-104 (Simpson), 7-122 (Rimmington), 8-136 (Cutting), 9-157 (Hartley)

Western Australia Bowling:
Dorey 10 – 4 – 29 – 3 (2wd)
Noffke 10 – 3 – 19 – 1 (1wd)
Knowles 10 – 1 – 53 – 3 (2wd)
Hogan 10 – 0 – 31 – 1 (2wd)
North 10 – 1 – 25 - 1

Western Australia wins by two wickets.
Man of the match: Ashley Noffke (WA).