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WA Win ING Cup

Sunday, February 29 2004

Kade Harvey proved today that unfashionable cricketers can still be match-winners, earning his side a 4-wicket victory in the ING Cup Final with the support of unheralded duo Scott Meuleman and Darren Wates as well as seasoned seamer Paul Wilson.

Winning the toss and batting, Jimmy Maher (46 from 43) added 100 with partner Stuart Law (50 from 40) in the first 12 overs of the day - a chilling reminder to the Warriors of Queensland's 400-run total just 2 weeks ago.

Medium-pacer Kade Harvey soon dispatched of the opening pair to alleviate any fears of another 400+ total. Winner of the Mercantile Mutual Cup 'Best New Talent' award in 1996/97, Harvey's breakthroughs proved his mettle as a seasoned one-day performer.

Clinton Perren's 89-ball 57 held firm the Queensland middle order in which all passed double figures yet none reached 50.

While not renowned for stylish stroke play, Perren's hard-edged approach to batting has time and again held together an often fragile and inexperienced middle-order this summer.

Marcus North's double breakthrough with his off breaks allowed for the Warriors to launch a late assault on the Queensland tail, with Paul Wilson finishing the innings with 2/39 from his 10 overs to restrict the Bulls late.

Harvey snared the final 2 wickets to take his personal tally to 4 and the Queensland innings to 244.

Western Australia began their innings in solid fashion, with the combination of Chris Rogers and Scott Meuleman showing promise before Rogers needlessly held out from Scott Brant with the score on 67.

The exciting talents of Marcus North combined with Meuleman for a further 44 runs before the opening batsman was brilliantly stumped by debutant keeper Chris Hartley.

Meuleman's combination of sweet timing and calculated stroke play ensure a successful future for the batsman, who has had limited opportunities this summer. His decisive 71 was his only ING innings of the summer.

Murray Goodwin's run-out and a strangely uptight Mike Hussey's top edged-sweep ensured that Queensland entered the twilight of the one-day summer with a strong case for the silverware. Marcus North's stumping further compounded the Warrior's problems as Nathan Hauritz again loomed large.

Once Ryan Campbell held out on the square leg fence to Perren from Ashley Noffke for 26, you could be excused for believing that the match was firmly in the hands of the Queenslanders.

Harvey, however, with support from Darren Wates clawed the Warriors to a respectable position with 5 overs to go. At this stage, boundaries had become as tight as the Queensland squads hamstrings.

As Andrew Bichel began to struggle with cramp, one could sense an unlikely happening was about to occur. It doesn't happen every day that one of world cricket's finest athletes falls victim to the heat.

A six through the hands of a gaping Noffke in the deep from Hauritz signalled a significant momentum swing.

By the time James Hopes' cramps gave way with 17 balls remaining, Western Australia was well within the match thanks to Harvey's mature approach. As Perren became the unfortunate fall-back bowler, the pair continued on to leave the visitors needing less than 20 from the final 2 overs.

Dealing with Hauritz's final over became the upmost important short-term goal. Between clever running and some poor Martin Love fielding, the Warriors required 8 from the final over.

As Harvey pushed a single from Perren's first delivery, Wates' telling blow from the second delivery of the over cleared the midwicket fence and landed in the hands of a Queensland supporter.

How they must have wished the fan was one of the 2 substitute fielders.

The ensuing dot ball raised tension levels before a flick over the leg side field ran away for four runs and Wates' completed the most important innings of his life to date with an unbeaten 29.

Harvey's 53 from just 42 deliveries, however, proved the secret ingredient in a comprehensive recipe of one-day cricket.

So long an unnoticed performer for the Warriors, all-rounder Harvey had earned his day in the Queensland sun.

Final Scores:

Queensland 244 (C Perren 57, S Law 50, J Maher 46; K Harvey 4/28, P Wilson 2/39, M North 2/17)

Western Australia 6/248 (S Meuleman 71, K Harvey 53*; N Hauritz 2/55)

Western Australia won by 4 wickets.

Cricket Web Player-of-the-Match: Kade Harvey.

Western Australia win the 2003/04 ING Cup.

Posted by Andre