South Australia v Tasmania, Pura Cup, Adelaide, 4th day

Tigers escape with thrilling draw

Cricinfo staff

February 11, 2008

Tasmania 383 and 8 for 232 (Di Venuto 66, Bailey 57, Cullen 3-76) drew with South Australia 344 and 9 for 318 dec (Manou 98, Ferguson 54, Geeves 5-79)
Scorecard

Dan Cullen collected three wickets but he couldn't prise out the last two men © Getty Images

Tasmania narrowly escaped with a draw with two wickets in hand after Graham Manou's declaration set up a cracking finale at Adelaide Oval. The Redbacks set Tasmania 280 to win from 52 overs and the Tigers went for broke, only reeling in their aggression when a late collapse of 3 for 4 in 14 balls put them in danger of losing.

South Australia had 6.3 overs to collect the last two wickets but Jason Krejza and the former Redback Chris Duval held the hosts at bay and finished at 8 for 232, which was 48 runs short of their target. The Tigers were still pushing for victory until Daniel Marsh was run out for 41, by which stage they needed 60 from 52 deliveries.

Marsh and Tim Paine had put together a 64-run stand from 67 balls but Marsh's dismissal sparked the mini-collapse, which included Dan Cullen's third wicket when he had Brett Geeves lbw for 0. Michael Di Venuto's 92-ball 66 and George Bailey's 57 from 52 gave South Australia's new captain Manou some nervous moments following his declaration at 9 for 318.

The Redbacks began the day at 6 for 196 and in danger of stumbling to a total the Tigers could easily overhaul. Geeves finished with 5 for 79 but by the time he removed Manou, South Australia's leading run scorer this season, for 98 a Tasmania victory seemed some distance away.

With help from Ryan Harris (36), Manou guided the hosts to a position from which they could conceivably win. However, the drawn result left both teams out of contention for the Pura Cup final.

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