WA quicks destroy NSW as Blues hit record low

A brilliant new-ball display from Western Australia quicks Jhye Richardson and Jason Behrendorff has set up a thumping nine-wicket victory over New South Wales in the Marsh One-Day Cup. 

The pair each grabbed three wickets inside the Powerplay before New South Wales were dismissed for 76 all out, their lowest-ever total in the Australian men's one-day competition. 

WA waltzed to the meagre target as the match ended after only 38.4 overs (21.4 in the NSW innings, 17 in the WA innings), sealing the bonus-point win. 

After sitting out WA's first match of the season in Melbourne, Richardson returned to the XI with 4-24, his best-ever figures in one-day cricket while Behrendorff took 3-17 from seven overs.

In a rematch of last year's pulsating final, Blues captain Kurtis Patterson won the toss and made the bold decision of batting first on a very green WACA pitch. 

What followed was a procession of New South Wales wickets as Richardson and Behrendorff got the new balls talking. 

Richardson bowled both Patterson (four off eight) and Matthew Gilkes (none off three) in the third over of the innings with swing and sheer pace undoing both left handers. 

Six balls later, Short took a sensational catch at cover point to send Daniel Hughes packing for a nine-ball duck as Behrendorff claimed his first wicket.

And when the tall left-armer bowled Moises Henriques (one off 12) with a peach the Blues had slumped to 4-12 in the sixth over. 

The bleeding didn't stop for New South Wales there either with Behrendorff knocking over the stumps of Jack Edwards (three off eight) in his following over with another big in-swinging delivery. 

Jason Sangha's choice to take on a Richardson short ball backfired as he picked out Matt Kelly on the fine leg rope. 

Eight-and-a-half overs into NSW's innings and the Blues were 6-20, with four of the first five wickets out bowled.

The only partnership of any substance was between Sean Abbott (12 off 20) and Daniel Sams (26 off 31), with the allrounders saving the Blues from a diabolically low score by putting on 38 runs. 

Kelly (1-11) and Andrew Tye (2-17) joined the party as New South Wales were cleaned up for 76 in the 22nd over, the equal-seventh lowest total in the competition's history and some way clear of the Blues' previous lowest score, 92 all out against Queensland in 1973. 

In reply the WA openers Josh Phillipe and Short were cautious and found their way through the Powerplay unscathed. 

Short was bowled by Liam Hatcher for 18 off 38 with the score on 44 to give the Blues a small consolation, but Philippe (37 off 46) and Sam Whiteman (14 off 18) chipped away at the remaining 33 runs required with minimal fuss. 

With all sides having played two matches now, the bonus-point victory sends WA to second place on the Marsh Cup table behind Tasmania, who have picked up the extra point in both their wins so far.