Redbacks v Warriors - Pura Cup

[Donny]

Starts at 11 am (11.30 EDST) in Adelaide

[Donny]

I've let Redbacks down: Flower

By Sam Lienert - Fox


FORMER Zimbabwe captain Andy Flower says he deserves to bear some blame for the Redbacks facing a battle with Western Australia for the Pura Cup wooden spoon.

The competition's bottom two sides meet at Adelaide Oval tomorrow, as the only teams with no chance of making the cup final, and with SA needing to win outright to climb from last spot.

Flower will captain the side for the first time in the absence of Test player Darren Lehmann and the injured Greg Blewett.

Flower said regular failures from SA's batsmen were the cause of the team's lowly standing, and he was as much as fault as anyone.

"I haven't delivered the goods for South Australian cricket that I could have and should have," he said.

"That's why I was brought here, to bolster the batting and give some sort of consistency to it.

"I haven't delivered on that front, that's been frustrating, but we can't run away from those sort of problems, I've got to front up and come back better next year."

Hailed as a potential batting saviour for a brittle line-up when he was signed at the start of the season, Flower came into the side with a magnificent record.

He scored 4794 Test runs for Zimbabwe in 63 matches, at an average of 51.54, with 27 half-centuries and 12 centuries.

But for SA, he has scored just 321 runs from six matches at an average of 26.75, only twice passing 50, and has missed three matches with a broken finger.

Despite the match having no bearing on who makes the Pura Cup final, Flower said it was important to finish on a high, both personally and for the team.

"When you're representing your state and representing the people of South Australia I think it's very important to do well," he said.

"Some of the youngsters are also trying to thrust their names into the limelight for Australian selection, so that's very important.

"It's like a Test match for us and that's the way we should be treating it."

Meanwhile, a series of shoulder injuries has forced the premature retirement of 25-year-old SA batsman Chris Davies.

Davies, who scored 1266 runs at 28.13 in 25 first-class matches for SA, said doctors had advised him to end his career.

Teams: SA: Andy Flower (capt), Ben Cameron, Shane Deitz, Mark Higgs, Mark Cosgrove, Mick Miller, Graham Manou, John Davison, Mark Cleary, Shaun Tait, Paul Rofe, Ryan Harris.

WA: Mike Hussey (capt), Ryan Campbell, Ben Edmondson, Kade Harvey, Aaron Heal, Brad Hogg, Murray Goodwin, Scott Meuleman, Marcus North, Chris Rogers, Darren Wates, Peter Worthington.

[Donny]

Marcus North continues to impress. He scored 130 n.o. in The Warriors total of 335. Goodwin hit 55.

Cleary took 3 43, Rofe 2/53 and Miller, 2/58

The Redbacks were 0/13 at stumps.

[Donny]

At lunch, The Redback are 2/130 with Cosgrove on 52 n.o. Deitz made 51.
---------------------------------------

4/209 as Cosgrove goes to his century.

[Donny]

Marcus North keeps producing the goods.

This 24 y.o., along with Clarke and David Hussey, is a really exciting prospect for the future. His 130 n.o. took him to within sight of a 1000 run Pura season and he's just taken two vital wickets.

He dismissed Andy Flower and Davison to have 2/15 from 9 overs.

[Donny]

All out for 300. Cosgrove made 144 and Hogg took 3/66.

[Donny]

Tait (2/9) crashes through early with the wickets of Hussey (4) and Meuleman (7) in one over. 2/13.
------------

At stumps, The Warriors are 3/63 with Goodwin on 37 n.o. and North, 8 n.o.

[Donny]

Rofe (2/20) dismissed North (13) and Campbell (0) in two balls to have The Warriors reeling at 5/80.

Marcus North fell agonisingly short of the 1000 runs by 16.
---------------------------------

Tait (4/35) claims Goodwin for 48 as The Warriors continue to crash.

6/85. They lead by just 120.
---------------------

Harvey out for 19, to Miller. 7/117. The lead is 151.
---------------------------------------

Hogg (43 n.o.) and Wates (36 n.o.) are fighting back. Their partnership has reached 65 and The Warriors now have a lead of 217.

[Donny]

They added 119 before Hogg was dismissed for 75. Wates went on to be run out for 99. Can you believe that ?

The Warriors totalled 302 which leaves The Redbacks 338 to win.

They've got stuck in early with 0/36 in the 5th. over.
-----------------------------

It's 1/83 in the 15th. over. Cameron is 38 n.o. from 38 balls and Cosgrove 21 n.o. from 21.

[Donny]

The Redbacks were cruising but 3 quick wickets to Harvey (3/39) have made things interesting.

He got Cameron for 81 and Andy Flower for a golden duck. A short time later, he also claimed Higgs, for 11.

Cosgrove is still there, on 80 n.o. They need 135 to win with 6 wickets in hand.
-----------------------------------------

Cosgrove goes for a valiant 88 as The Warriors get their nose in front. The Redbacks still need 113.

[Donny]

The Warriors won.

Ben Edmondson was belted early but came back well to finish with 5/90.