Rob Forsaith at the Gabba
A blistering innings from opener Rob Quiney has helped Victoria clinch a seven-wicket bonus-point victory over Queensland in the Ford Ranger Cup clash at the Gabba.
With the Bushrangers requiring 223 for victory, Quiney crashed a quick-fire 73 off 63 balls in a man-of-the-match performance to help his side reach an impressive 3-227 and claim victory during the 39th over.
Boundaries were the order of the day for the hard-hitting Quiney, who is in some kind of form after scoring his maiden first-class century earlier this week in the Weet-Bix Sheffield Shield clash between these two sides.
Quiney and Chris Rogers (17) were on top of the Bulls' bowlers right from the word go, getting on the front foot the pair had powered their way to be 0-62 in the 11th over when Rogers fell.
Rogers' dismissal, when he gave Andrew Symonds a regulation catch in the covers after failing to negotiate a slower delivery from Ben Laughlin, failed to slow the run-rate though.
Brad Hodge (49) was happy to work the singles while Quiney continued to dispatch the ball to all ends of the ground, finishing with nine boundaries when he was clean bowled by Bulls skipper Chris Simpson.
The score was 2-124 at that stage and while the wicket of Quiney's dismissal was vital for the Bulls' slim hopes of victory, skipper David Hussey and Hodge continued to look at ease and at the 25-over mark, only needed to score at five runs an over to pick up a bonus-point.
Symonds, who failed to fire with bat yet again, picked up the wicket of Hodge when keeper Chris Hartley executed a fantastic stumping.
But it mattered little in regards to the final result as Andrew McDonald (28 not out) and Hussey (50 not out) coasted towards the win, which Hussey brought up, along with his half-century with a booming six.
Earlier in the day a brutal top-order batting collapse from Queensland saw the Bulls restricted to 9-222 after Simpson had elected for his side to get first use of a great pitch and fine batting conditions.
James Hopes ensured the Bulls got off to an excellent beginning, where they appeared to be racing towards big things at 0-69 in the 13th over before the Bushrangers struck back with four wickets in the space of four overs.
Simpson fell soon after for seven but opener Clinton Perren produced a determined knock of 52 from 96 balls to stem the rampant flow of dismissals and help make sure the home side batted through their overs.
When he was trapped lbw by Clint McKay the score was 6-139 but Nathan Reardon (54) guaranteed the Bulls would not go lightly, slashing five fours and a six in his maiden half-century.
It was a case of too few contributors for the Bulls, with Hopes, Perren, Reardon and Chris Hartley (28) the only batsmen to post a double-figure score.
Victoria shared the wickets around, with veteran Shane Harwood the best of the bowlers with figures of 2-18 from his eight overs, including the treasured scalp of Symonds.
Young spinner Jon Holland (1-40) impressed in his second match, while all-rounder Andrew McDonald (1-35) kept it tight.
Queensland would have been ruing the fact they wasted such an impressive start after Hopes had built the platform for a sizeable total when he pushed the tempo in an entertaining knock of 42 from 40 balls.
The win, Victoria's second in as many matches, sees the Bushrangers claim top spot on the Ford Ranger Cup table with nine points.
Queensland innings
Perren lbw McKay 52 (96)
Hopes run out McDonald 42 (40)
Carseldine c McKay b Holland 0 (1)
Symonds c Hill b Harwood 9 (12)
Moller c & b Harwood 0 (3)
Simpson lbw McDonald 7 (29)
Reardon c Quiney b McKay 54 (68)
Hartley c Hussey b Nannes 28 (40)
Harris c Hill b Nannes 8 (9)
Swan not out 2 (1)
Laughlin not out 1 (1)
Extras: 19 (14lb, 5wd)
Total: 222 (nine wickets; 50 overs)
FoW: 1-69, 2-69, 3-81, 4-82, 5-99, 6-139, 7-191, 8-215, 9-219
Bowling:
Nannes 10 - 0 - 62 - 2 (1wd)
McKay 10 - 1 - 46 - 2 (2wd)
Harwood 8 - 0 - 18 - 2 (1wd)
Holland 10 - 0 - 40 - 1 (1wd)
McDonald 10 - 2 - 35 - 1
Hussey 2 - 0 - 7 - 0
Victorian innings
Quiney b Simpson 73 (63)
Rogers c Symonds b Laughlin 17 (29)
Hodge st Hartley b Symonds 49 (53)
Hussey not out 50 (52)
McDonald not out 28 (35)
Extras: 10 (9wd, 1lb)
Total: 227 (three wickets; 38.4 overs)
FoW: 1-62, 2-124, 3-176
Bowling:
Swan 3 - 0 - 21 - 0
Harris 9 - 0 - 44 - 0 (2wd)
Laughlin 8 - 0 - 57 - 1 (2wd)
Hopes 6 - 0 - 32 - 0 (4wd)
Simpson 6 - 0 -29 - 1 (1wd)
Symonds 6.4 - 0 - 43 - 1