Hodge ton steers Vics to commanding win - Sports News - Fanatics - the world's biggest events

Hodge ton steers Vics to commanding win

By Adam Cooper 31/01/2007 09:36:23 PM Comments (0)

Victoria moved to the top of the domestic one-day table after a Brad Hodge century helped secure a commanding seven-wicket win over South Australia at the MCG.

The Bushrangers were jumped by SA's openers early but fought back well with the ball to restrict the Redbacks to 8-238 on a belter of a pitch.

The home side then cruised to victory, overhauling the Redbacks total with seven wickets and 44 balls in reserve.

Hodge batted beautifully for the third time inside a week in scoring 115 not out from 100 balls after openers Jon Moss (45) and Michael Klinger (35) posted an opening stand of 60 and saw off the threat of Jason Gillespie (1-36 from 9.4 overs).

Gillespie's accuracy ultimately denied Victoria a bonus point, but the Bushrangers moved ahead of Queensland on run-rate at the top of the table.

The win all-but secured Victoria a place in the one-day final, although the final round of matches will determine the venue.

Hodge scored 124 not out and 84 in Victoria's Pura Cup win over SA and was again masterful in compiling his first one-day ton in almost two years, whether it was crunching the quicks down the ground or dabbing spinners behind point.

The stand-in skipper was also able to call on a good bowling performance from his side after former Victorian batsman Matthew Elliott and Daniel Harris got SA off to a flyer.

The pair slashed a half-century stand inside eight overs and at the halfway point SA appeared a chance of scoring 300 in the perfect conditions.

But Andrew McDonald had Elliott caught at short cover for 63 in the 25th over, and some tight Victorian bowling at the death restricted the visitors to a poor 4-51 from the final 10 overs.

Shane Harwood returned 3-33 by bowling nice and straight, while part-time spinners Hodge (1-33) and David Hussey (1-29) quietened the Redbacks in the middle overs from a combined 14 overs.

The Vics were also well-served by good catching in the deep as McDonald took a well-judged catch two metres inside the rope to remove Ben Cameron (42), while Robert Quiney took a fine lunging catch after Mark Cosgrove (33) flat-batted the ball to mid-wicket.

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