Rookie posts maiden Marsh Cup ton before ex-Test quick rips through NSW top order to seal 120-run victory
Match Report:
ScorecardWright, Bird ensure Blues claim rare wooden spoon
Some inspired fast bowling from Sydney-raised Jackson Bird has helped Tasmania to a crushing win Marsh Cup win over NSW in Hobart, handing the Blues their first domestic one-day wooden spoon in 11 years.
Bird collected career-best figures of 6-25 off 10 overs as Tasmania secured a hefty 120-run win in Wednesday's final-round battle to avoid finishing last.
They are the second-best figures for a Tasmanian in the competition behind Gurinder Sandhu's 7-56 last season.
An inexperienced NSW line-up slipped to 5-55, eventually bowled out in just 32.3 overs for 131 at Blundstone Arena.
Eight NSW batsmen reached double figures with Jason Sangha (23) the highest scorer.
In-form NSW opener Daniel Hughes was bowled by Bird for 13 but ended the regular season as the competition's leading scorer with 440 runs.
Only Queensland's Usman Khawaja (372 runs) is in striking distance of Hughes ahead of Tuesday's final between the Bulls and Western Australia in Brisbane.
Despite a superb start to the Marsh Sheffield Shield season, with four wins from as many matches, NSW managed just one victory in their six-game one-day cup campaign.
Tasmania's innings was built around a sparkling century from No.4 Mac Wright in only his second Marsh Cup match.
How do you even begin to describe this? 😂@MarshGlobal | #MarshCup pic.twitter.com/YNBIXZkmeb%E2%80%94 cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) November 20, 2019
The 21-year-old from the NSW far south coast helped Tasmania to recover from 3-16 and 5-96 to post 9-251, as the Blues spurned a strong opening with a host of dropped catches.
After making 46 on debut on Monday, Wright displayed a wide variety of strokes in scoring 106 off 116 deliveries, including four sixes.
Spot the difference! The dismissals of Webster, Bailey and Milenko all seemed pretty familiar today...#MarshCup pic.twitter.com/1KjRuIKd5H%E2%80%94 cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) November 20, 2019
Wright shared in a match-high partnership of 109 with James Faulkner (49), while seamer Nathan Ellis chimed in with a handy 25 not out in the final overs.
Rookie NSW bowler Liam Hatcher collected 3-46, while debutant Hayden Kerr impressed with 1-17 off eight overs.
Tasmania: Ben McDermott (c/wk), Caleb Jewell, Beau Webster, Mac Wright, George Bailey, Simon Milenko, James Faulkner, Nathan Ellis, Clive Rose, Jackson Bird, Riley Meredith
NSW Blues: Daniel Hughes, Hayden Kerr, Moises Henriques, Matthew Gilkes, Jack Edwards, Jason Sangha, Peter Nevill (c/wk), Daniel Sams, Nathan McAndrew, Harry Conway, Liam Hatcher