da luck： PERTH – Western Australia have secured their place in the ING Cupcricket final with a thrilling 26 run win over Victoria at the WACAGround tonight
Tim Clarke14-Feb-2003PERTH – Western Australia have secured their place in the ING Cupcricket final with a thrilling 26 run win over Victoria at the WACAGround tonight.After posting a respectable 5-270 thanks largely to a whirlwind MurrayGoodwin innings, WA then had to rely on the experience of Jo Angel(3-45) and Brad Williams (4-34) to get them into their 20th domesticone-day final.The Warriors will play either Queensland or NSW in the final.Chris Rogers and skipper Justin Langer also followed their contributionswith the bat with some inspired fielding – but the result was in doubtuntil the penultimate over.Opener Nick Jewell (60) made a blistering start to his and the Victorianinnings, square cutting successive fours off Williams.Son of Richmond AFL player and premiership coach Tony Jewell, the25-year-old took to both Williams and Callum Thorp with pulls and cutsout of the top drawer.Brad Hodge could not match his partner, and was first to perish as heedged thickly to Mike Hussey off Williams.Jewell ploughed on, pulling Callum Thorp to the boundary twice in twoballs, and then driving Paul Wilson for two fours in his first over tobring up a sparkling 47-ball fifty.The pressure seemed to be getting to Langer, who took umbrage withumpire Bruce Bennett after he called a no-ball for having too few men inthe circle.Langer’s comments in the middle could be heard at the back of theLillee-Marsh stand – but his anger was soon turned to delight by theveteran Angel.After having found the boundary eleven times in his 55-ball knock,Jewell attempted an injudicious drive to a full ball which pegged backhis off stump, and Victorian hopes.Andrew McDonald looked the next batsman likely to dash WA’s finaldreams, racing to 19 off 22 balls, before Angel struck again, nipping aball back to win an lbw decision.Once again, the Victorians fashioned a partnership to keep them well inthe hunt, Brendan Joseland and Michael Klinger finding the gaps and theboundary to compile 50 in 61 balls.But once again, a bowling change by Langer did the trick, with ShaunMarsh’s second ball for the state being lobbed back to him for a sharpcaught and bowled.Four balls later a drive from David Hussey produced a superb full lengthdiving stop by Langer, followed by an accurate throw to Campbell thatsaw Klinger run out by half a metre.Hussey, younger brother of WA’s Mike, did his best to prevent hissibling from appearing in the final, but as the run rate rose so didVictoria’s desperation.After 46 from 45 balls, Hussey was bowled by Williams and when Whitefollowed suit in the next over Victoria’s hopes were dashed.WA will now have to wait on the result of Queensland’s match againstTasmania later today to see who will host the February 23 final.If Queensland lose to the Tigers then the the WACA Ground will host thefinal for the second time in three years.