Awesome Abbott inspires Blues to win

Sean Abbott led a spirited bowling display as NSW secured an important 88-run victory over Tasmania at North Sydney Oval to help revive the Blues' flagging JLT One-Day Cup campaign.

After being sent in to bat and posting a modest 239, NSW ripped through the Tasmania top-order with the visitors eventually dismissed for 151 off 31.3 overs as the Blues claimed their first win in four outings.

NSW opening bowler Abbott claimed 5-43 for back-to-back five-wicket hauls.

And for the second match in succession Abbott claimed a wicket with the first ball of the innings to set the tone for a strong showing with the ball from the home side. 

Abbott had in-form opener Matthew Wade lbw before adding the key wickets of Ben McDermott (28) and Jake Doran (12) in a lively opening spell.

Mickey Edwards (1-20) repeated Abbott's feat by dismissing dangerman Simon Milenko (16) off his first ball of the match as Tasmania slipped to 6-82 under lights.

Left-armer Daniel Sams chipped in with 2-27 to lift the Blues ahead of next week's much-awaited return of Test paceman Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins.

NSW's top-order had only marginally more success with the Blues losing 5-56 after rookie opener Jack Edwards hit his maiden one-day half-century with an enterprising 68 off 50 balls.

There were secondary contributions from NSW captain Kurtis Patterson (37), Moises Henriques (24), Nick Larkin (32) and Chris Green (24).

Former NSW seamer Gurinder Singh (4-42) was a thorn in the Blues' side with the locals bowled out after 47.3 overs.

"It is nice to get some reward for a lot of hard work put in during the off-season," Abbott said.

"It (getting a wicket with the first ball) is the perfect way to start so if I can do that again it would be nice.

"There has been a couple of games now as a bowling unit that we have had to come out and bowl the opposition out to win the match, and to come out and get some wickets up top and go on and win the match was quite nice.

"I think we are doing quite well as a bowling unit and we are looking to build towards the latter end of the tournament."

NSW Blues: Kurtis Patterson (c), Daniel Hughes, Jack Edwards, Moises Henriques, Nick Larkin, Jay Lenton (wk), Daniel Sams, Chris Green, Sean Abbott, Ben Dwarshuis, Mickey Edwards

Tasmania: Matthew Wade (wk), Ben McDermott, Jake Doran, Jordan Silk, George Bailey (c), Simon Milenko, Clive Rose, Gurinder Sandhu, Jackson Bird, Aaron Summers, Riley Meredith