Victoria seal narrow win after Tasmania lose five wickets for three runs

At 96/2, Tasmania looked on course to hunt down Victoria’s total of 185, but lost their middle and lower order wickets in the space of just ten balls. They were bundled out for 184 in 40.4 overs, with Victoria claiming what had seemed a highly improbable win for the most part.

Chris Tremain and Jackson Coleman finished with four wickets apiece. Coleman claimed three wickets in the 40th over, while Tremain cleaned up the final two batsmen right after.

In pursuit of a bonus point, Tasmania were well set at 172/4 in the 39th over, needing 14 more to secure it. Beau Webster (20) then lost his wicket while attempting a big stroke, ending a 38-run stand with opener Ben McDermott. In the next over, James Faulkner’s dismissal sparked the implosion, with McDermott and Gurinder Sandhu following him back into the dressing room within the next five balls.

Jackson Bird fell off the second delivery of the 41st over, with just a solitary run required, and debutant Nathan Ellis was dismissed lbw two balls later. It was Victoria's first win in the competition.

Barring McDermott, whose 78 was the highest score across both innings, none of the Tasmania batsmen crossed 30, with as many as six batsmen succumbing to single-digit scores.

Earlier, Will Sutherland’s maiden List A half-century pushed Victoria past 150, after they found themselves reduced to 133/7. He hit all three sixes in Victoria’s innings, helping them stitch 52 runs for the final three wickets. This came after their top five mustered a combined 64 runs, with Ellis snaring three key wickets in his debut for the Tasmanians.

Tasmania will now face Western Australia, on 25 September in Perth, while Victoria have a six-day break before their clash against Queensland on 29 September.