Victoria 240 for 7 (Harris 63, Swepson 3-38) beat Queensland 234 (Khawaja 57, Murphy 3-38) by six runs
Three wickets to Test offspinner Todd Murphy and some nerveless catching from Victoria helped them to a thrilling six-run win at the Junction Oval after a brilliant cameo from Michael Neser almost stole the game for Queensland.
Murphy took 3 for 38 as Queensland collapsed from 106 for 1 in the 24th over to 205 for 9 in the 46th chasing a very gettable 241. Neser was left with No.11 Tom Straker to chase the last 36 required from 24 balls. That equation became 19 off six after three excellent overs from captain Will Sutherland, Fergus O'Neill and Peter Siddle gave up just 15 runs.
Neser faced two dots from Sam Elliott in the final over before launching two massive sixes to pull the Bulls within seven runs of victory with two balls remaining. But off the penultimately delivery he holed out to Jono Merlo at deep square who took an excellent catch looking into the setting sun to finish the game. Neser finished with 49 from 41 balls.
Earlier, Test opener Usman Khawaja made a fluent 72-ball 57, sharing in a 90-run stand with opening partner Ben McDermott to have the game under control. But Murphy shifted the tide with an excellent spell. He forced a mistake from McDermott to break the stand after building some pressure. Sutherland then seized the moment.
Noticing the grip and turn Murphy was getting on the worn surface, having seen another Test spinner in Mitchell Swepson take 3 for 38 earlier in the day, he called on the part-time offspin of opening batter Josh Brown, who had previously bowled just three balls in his professional career. After conceding a boundary first ball, Brown snared Khawaja caught behind with some extra bounce.
Siddle then squeezed through the middle overs picking up two wickets. The second was courtesy of a stunning one-handed diving catch by Marcus Harris at mid-on. When Matt Renshaw fell for 38, Murphy turned the screws picking up two more to swing the game in Victoria's favour.
"It was really good that we were able to sort of stay in it," Murphy said after the match. "I think when the ball got a little bit older, a bit softer, it's a bit harder to hit as well. And I think we knew, especially the way their team structured, that they were very heavy at the top. So if we could make a breakthrough, sort of at any point and get a new batter in and put some pressure on him with a soft ball and a wearing wicket it was always going to be difficult."
Victoria were able to hold on despite Neser's late heroics. His stand-in captain Swepson was full of praise for his efforts.
"Ness played an unbelievable knock on a very tricky wicket, it seemed like it got harder and harder at the end there," Swepson said. "For him to get us into the game in that last over, incredible knock from him. Unfortunately, we just fell short."
Queensland thought they had done enough with the ball, restricting Victoria to 240 for 7 after winning the toss. Harris made a vital 63 to hold the innings together before Sutherland (31 not out) and Elliott (32) produced more late-over heroics as they did against Tasmania, sharing a 63-run stand off the final 35 balls to post a winning total.
Harris was pleased to spend some time in the middle after missing out in the opening game against Tasmania. But he was more excited to talk about his one-handed catch to dismiss Hugo Burdon.
"I didn't move very well and I thought I better stick a hand out and see what happens," Harris said. "It was luck more than anything."
The win moves Victoria to the top of the One-Day Cup table after two rounds with two wins. Queensland depart Melbourne with just two points following a wash out against Tasmania.
