In one of the more bizarre cricket matches, South Australia has defeated Tasmania after making only 55 runs in their first innings.
After batting first, Tasmania set a modest first innings target of 251, but claimed a huge first innings lead of 196 after James Faulkner claimed the remarkable figures of 5 for 5. The South Australian team were in diabolical form, with 55 being their 3rd lowest score of all time.
Tasmanian captain George Bailey then smartly (or so it seemed) enforced the follow on and this is where the South Australian fight back began.
Aiden Blizzard struck his second century of the season belting 115 and Daniel Christian's blazing 93 helped the Redbacks set the Tigers a target of 221.
Fast bowler Rob Cassell then destroyed the local top order to leave Tasmania at 4 for 15 in their chase. George Bailey and James Faulkner (44) resurrected the Tasmanian innings in a match that had more twists and turns than the ongoing Gabba Test.
By stumps on day three, Bailey was on 77, with Luke Butterworth on 12, and at 5 for 144 the Tigers needed a further 77 runs for victory.
Bailey looked like being Tasmania's great white hope, but after being dismissed with the first ball of the day, the Tasmanian camp were in shock. Half an hour was all it took to take the remaining five wickets of the hosts as Peter George sounded a warning to the struggling Mitchell Johnson claiming the last four wickets of the Tasmanian innings, as they were bundled out for 177.
With 20/20 matches being touted as the future, surely this particular game is enough to suggest that Test cricket is needed. The drama that unfolds over the four or five days cannot be matched, and the game isn't over until the last ball is bowled.
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