Pura Cup: Victoria v Queensland at Melbourne, 24-27 Oct 2001 CricInfo Live Report

Pura Cup: Victoria v Queensland at Melbourne, 24-27 Oct 2001
John Polack

Victoria 1st innings: Lunch - Day 2, Stumps - Day 2,
Live Reports from previous days

HEAVY GOING FOR BUSHRANGERS AFTER BULLS' TAILENDERS THRIVE

Keen to overcome an opponent that has grossly frustrated it in each of the last two Finals of this competition, Victoria only encountered more annoyance on the second day of the Pura Cup match against Queensland at Punt Road in Melbourne today. On another day of variable weather, the Bushrangers made heavy weather of their ambitions, struggling to restrict two of the Bulls' tailenders before being forced to turn their pursuit of first innings points into something less than a speedy one.

By stumps on a day extended by 22 minutes to compensate for time lost to the elements yesterday, the Victorians were placed at 3/160 as they responded to Queensland's 417.

That the Bushrangers were not in a more favourable position owed much to the batting of Ashley Noffke (73) and Nathan Hauritz (41), each of whom registered their highest first-class scores in the course of adding a thoroughly unexpected 105 runs for the Bulls' ninth wicket.

Admittedly, it was Hauritz's debut at this level and Noffke is no veteran either, having played just ten matches prior to this one. But it is hard to imagine either exceeding these new individual watermarks in a hurry.

Their stand, fashioned from the ruin of a potentially crucial early blow as Matthew Hayden (147) was defeated by a Mathew Inness (2/71) inswinger, was as significant for its intelligent punishment of the loose ball as it was in inducing annoyance for the home team.

Noffke was particularly severe on anything erring in length or width, even thumping Test off spinner Colin Miller (1/108) high over the leg side for two boundaries and a six from consecutive deliveries at one stage. More importantly, he also discovered the right balance between attacking and defending.

Hauritz lost little by comparison. He played watchfully through the early stages of his innings, accumulating most of his runs from subtle pushes into the off side and glances off his legs, but became more expansive as his stay at the crease wore on to strike several drives and cuts off the back foot with commanding intent.

The home side's cause, all the while, was not being helped by the sight of catches being dropped: Matthew Elliott missing a chance to dismiss Hauritz at mid wicket at 11 and Shane Warne grassing an opportunity to catch Noffke (then on 34) at slip.

As it began the reply, Victoria made sufficiently steady progress.

There was a setback as Jason Arnberger (20) failed to fully capitalize on Jimmy Maher's mistake in grassing a waist-high chance to his left at second slip, only adding another ten runs to his score before slogging an off break to mid on and handing Hauritz (1/35) his maiden first-class wicket.

Yet the total reached 1/84 at one stage nonetheless, and the Bushrangers' upper order batsmen looked to be finding life as comfortable on the pitch as their rivals had done yesterday.

But once Andy Bichel (1/36) found the thin outside edge of the bat of Elliott (56), Queensland was successfully able to take the home team back to the trenches. Victoria's scoring rate was reduced to little more than a trickle at various stages of the afternoon, as few as 39 runs coming from 22 overs during one period. Nearly half of the overs bowled to this stage of the innings have been maidens.

Notwithstanding this, Brad Hodge (39*) enhanced his already lofty reputation with several beautifully crafted strokes amid gradually fading light. On his shoulders, there will rest hopes of better things for Victoria tomorrow.

NOFFKE, HAURITZ PROVOKE FRUSTRATION FOR VICTORIA

Though it claimed wickets at the start and end of the session, it has been a morning of gross frustration for Victoria on day two of the Pura Cup match against Queensland at Punt Road.

At lunch, the Victorians are placed at 0/6 as they set after a first innings total of 417 from Queensland that represents a far bigger tally than they might have been expecting to chase earlier in the morning.

On a morning when the state of Melbourne's weather has alternated consistently, the Bushrangers' mood headed in only one direction - downhill.

Left arm paceman Mathew Inness (2/71) produced a lovely inswinging delivery that finally proved the undoing of Matthew Hayden (147) as the opener failed to make contact in trying to work a shot through the leg side. But, after that success just 15 minutes into the day, the rapid end to the Queensland innings that the locals might have been anticipating never materialised.

Ashley Noffke (73) and Nathan Hauritz (41), tailenders with little evidence of notable batting success so far in their burgeoning interstate careers, combined instead to fashion a magnificent partnership of 105 for the ninth wicket that was as significant for its intelligent punishment of the loose ball as it was in inducing annoyance for the home team.

Noffke was particularly severe on anything loose, even thumping Test off spinner Colin Miller (1/108) high over the leg side for two boundaries and a six from consecutive deliveries at one stage. More importantly, he also discovered the right balance between attacking and defending on a pitch gradually starting to show for the first time the occasional hint of variability in bounce.

In his first-class debut, Hauritz lost little by comparison. He played watchfully through the early stages of his innings, accumulating most of his runs from subtle pushes into the off side and glances off his legs, but became more expansive as his stay at the crease wore on to strike several drives and cuts off the back foot with commanding intent.

Victoria's cause was not at all helped when Shane Warne grassed a waist-high chance to catch Noffke (then on 34) at slip from an edge off the bowling of Ian Harvey (2/50), and their misery was ultimately only terminated 20 minutes before lunch. Ironically, Noffke fell to one of the worst deliveries of the morning - sending a Warne (4/118) long hop towering into the air above Matthew Elliott at mid wicket as he attempted to pull. Hauritz succumbed moments later, edging Damien Fleming (1/54) to slip.