Hodge leads Vics to narrow win

Led by a century from man of the match Brad Hodge, Victoria has secured an eighteen run win over Canberra in today's Mercantile Mutual Cup match between the sides in Melbourne. Defying the potential ignominy of losing to this opponent for the third successive time, the Victorians triumphed by scoring 8/259 after being invited to bat and then backing it with some tight, penetrative bowling through the afternoon as they survived a stout seventh wicket partnership to dismiss the Comets for 241.

Played at the unusual setting of the Richmond Cricket Ground at Punt Road (a suburban oval little more than a stone's throw from the MCG, which itself is hosting a soccer international later in the week and was therefore unable to be utilised today), the match was an entertaining affair for the most part and gave hint to the fact that Canberra continues to make excellent improvement in its progress at this level.

Although star opener Matthew Elliott (12) experienced a rare failure at State level as the home team meandered to 3/111 at one point, the game looked almost as good as over once Hodge (110 off 126 deliveries) and Ian Harvey (47 from 45) were able to add 110 runs for the fourth wicket. On reflection, the crucial moments in the battle indeed probably came when the latter was dropped twice in relatively quick succession with his score at 15 and 21. As for Hodge himself, he played a fine innings and executed strokes all around the ground in the course of registering a richly deserved second career century (interestingly, each has come against Canberra) in domestic one-day cricket.

But notwithstanding that punishment, nor the notion that they appeared set to be crushed as wickets tumbled all around opener Anthony McQuire (58 off 72 balls) to condemn them to the scoreline of 6/93 at one stage, a magnificent seventh wicket stand of 124 runs between Graham Cunningham (72 from 64) and Colin Smart (44 off 57) ensured that the visitors were still able to treat the crowd to an exciting finish. Prior to the unfortunate run out of Smart in the forty-fifth over (a mid-pitch tumble sowing the seeds for a collapse which left them agonisingly short of victory), each of the two played superbly and some more seasoned international batsmen would do well to secure a video tape of their performance to learn how paceman Damien Fleming (0/63 off nine overs) can be brought undone.