Higgs takes SA close to victory against Tigers
ADELAIDE, March 8 AAP - All-rounder Mark Higgs followed a quickfire century yesterday with two wickets today to push South Australia close to an outright victory over Tasmania on day three of their Pura Cup match at Adelaide Oval.
Sam Lienert
08-Mar-2003
ADELAIDE, March 8 AAP - All-rounder Mark Higgs followed a quickfire century yesterday with two wickets today to push South Australia close to an outright victory over Tasmania on day three of their Pura Cup match at Adelaide Oval.
At stumps, the Tigers were 4-153 in their second innings, still needing 71 runs to make SA bat again after trailing by 224 on the first innings and being forced to follow on.
Tasmania's hopes of avoiding defeat rested with Michael Divenuto, who was on 82 not out, and Daniel Marsh, who was on 32, with the pair having shared an unbroken 59-run stand.
It was crucial for Tasmania that their partnership continued for a substantial part of the day tomorrow, with only wicketkeeper Sean Clingeleffer and the Tigers tail to follow.
Divenuto's innings continued an excellent match, after he top-scored with 81 in Tasmania's first innings of 276, after SA made 6(dec)-500 in its first innings.
Tasmania resumed its first innings today at 5-155, and was all out seven overs after lunch.
Pacemen Shaun Tait and Paul Rofe took less than six overs with the second new ball to clean up the final three wickets after some resistance in the first session from Clingeleffer (50) and Xavier Doherty (52).
Tait finished the innings with 5-68, the first five-wicket haul of his career.
Rofe captured the first two second innings wickets, bowling Tasmanian skipper Jamie Cox for two with a superb off-cutter, then having Scott Mason (six) caught behind.
Then Higgs, who scored an unbeaten 112 from 94 balls in SA's innings, chimed in with the wickets of Michael Dighton (24) and Chris Bassano (four).
The left-arm orthodox spinner, recruited from New South Wales this season, finished the day with 2-29 from 10 overs.
He appeared to spin the ball more sharply than more highly-rated team-mate Brad Young, who had 0-43 from 23 overs.
"There's a bit of turn there, there's a bit of rough starting to get about, so it will turn and bounce tomorrow, I'd say," Higgs told AAP.
"Youngy bowled really well and they held him out, I think he was probably the pick of the bowlers today and they played him well."
Higgs and Young were again likely to do the bulk of the bowling tomorrow on a wearing pitch, on what will be the final day of the season for both teams, with neither a chance to make the Cup final.
"We definitely want to finish on a good note," Higgs said.
"The last three days we played some really good cricket and it would be a shame if we can't finish it off tomorrow."