A SECOND century in three matches from Nowra’s Nic Maddinson set up the NSW Blues for a vital JLT One-Day Cup victory over the Cricket Australia XI at Hurstville Oval at the weekend.
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The 93-run win, which included a record eight dismissals from wicket-keeper and captain Peter Nevill , has the Blues back on track to chase a third successive domestic one-day title.
NSW has two victories from their first four matches and must win both their remaining games next Friday and Sunday to be sure of a finals berth.
Nevill’s six catches and two stumpings beat the previous domestic one-day record for a wicket-keeper of six dismissals previously held by five players.
Maddinson followed a century against Tasmania last week with an at times brutal 123 from just 113 balls. He hit 10 fours and three sixes as NSW scored 8-332 from its 50 overs.
The CA XI replied with 239, giving the Blues a fright with the run chase when opening batsman Max Bryant clubbed 89 in just 60 balls.
He skied a slog-sweep off an economical Nathan Lyon (2-25 off 10 overs) straight up in the air to be caught by Nevill.
That reduced the CA XI to 4-143 after it had raced to 1-117 in under 16 overs as Bollinger (3-62) decimated the inexperienced middle order with his pace and aggression.
Bryant is from Tweed Heads and played his junior cricket locally before choosing to play his underage representative cricket across the Tweed River in Queensland.
Maddison’s century headlined a NSW batting performance which again failed to make the most of an excellent start.
He and Dan Hughes (68 from 72 balls) had an opening partnership of 132 in little more than 20 overs before Hughes was caught behind off spinner Clint Hinchcliffe, who finished with four wickets.
Ryan Gibson also scored a half-century, making 51 in just 45 balls with six fours and two sixes.
