Victoria Win Pura Cup

In a final, moving farewell to departed coach David Hookes, Victoria has won the 2003/04 Pura Cup thanks to a strong display of pace bowling on the final day from Mick Lewis and a batting line-up that concluded its summer-long dominance.

Upon the completion of the formalities of Queensland's first innings, adding 98 in the morning before they loss of the final 4 wickets, Darren Berry and the Victorian management elected not to enforce the follow-on against as strong Queensland batting line-up.

Berry gave his side 30 overs of time in the middle as Jason Arnberger crashed and bashed his way to a second half century of the match for the stodgy opener.

Matthew Elliott's record-breaking summer with the bat ended on the note of triumph, unbeaten on 55 before the declaration was made at 140/1.

Having been set 576 for victory the Bulls side held realistically little hope. The side fell quickly to 3/56 thanks to a devastating spell of new ball bowling from the unfashionable pace figure of Mick Lewis.

Lewis enjoyed one final day in the sun for 2003/04 - as a man who just a handful of years ago was bowling on artificial mats with his mates on a Saturday, a commanding performance in the Pura Cup Final provided a tonic to the Victorian management's faith in the robust quick.

Stuart Law's final first-class innings in Australia of 72 offered the only resistance above 50 - a fitting finale to a revered batsman.

While Clinton Perren, James Hopes, Chris Hartley and Nathan Hauritz made handy contributions the Victorians were never challenged.

Despite the injury to paceman Allan Wise early in the match the Bushrangers attack contained the necessary firepower to dismiss the Bulls as Andrew McDonald's final season ended with 2 late wickets.

The unlikely heroics of Lewis completed a dramatic Pura Cup summer as the right-arm from Greensborough finished with 6/59.

Since the untimely and tragic death of coach and mentor David Hookes in January the Bushrangers had been on the crest of a highly emotional wave. The victory symbolizes closure for a squad so deserving of the title, and a fitting, final and telling farewell to the coach and master Hookes. Also watching from afar was former coach John Scholes, who passed on in 2003.

Final Scores:

Victoria 710 (M Elliott 155, J Moss 98, J Arnberger 90, B Hodge 89, I Harvey 62, D Berry 61, C White 54, A McDonald 42; A Noffke 3/104)

Queensland 275 (J Maher 72, M Love 66*; C White 4/66, J Moss 3/18)

Victoria 1 dec. 140 (J Arnberger 72, M Elliott 55*; N Hauritz 1/54)

Queensland 254 (S Law 72; M Lewis 6/59)

Victoria won by 321 runs.

Cricket Web Player-of-the-Match: Matthew Elliott.

Pura Cup Player-of-the-Year: Matthew Elliott.

Posted by Andre