Bulls hoping for Blues loss to keep finals hopes alive

HOBART, Feb 15 AAP - Tasmania kept NSW in the hunt for a third straight ING Cup final appearance with a 77-run defeat of Queensland at Bellerive Oval today.

NSW's hopes looked dead and buried when WA beat Victoria at the WACA last night and Tasmania slumped to 4-60 against the Bulls today.

A Bulls win would have resulted in the Queenslanders hosting WA in this season's final.

But a spirited fifth-wicket partnership between skipper Jamie Cox (87) and allrounder Dan Marsh (100 not out) turned the match Tasmania's way - and left the Blues' fate in their own hands.

A NSW victory over last-placed South Australia at Telstra Stadium tomorrow would thrust the Blues into the final against WA.

Cox and Marsh, whose brutal century came from just 97 balls, helped the Tigers to 271 from their 50 overs.

The pair amassed 158 off 154 balls before Cox fell LBW to Nathan Hauritz.

Hauritz was under the watchful eye of ACB selector Allan Border who may send the Queensland offspinner to South Africa should Shane Warne be permanently outlawed from the World Cup.

Man-of-the-match Marsh's century was his second in one-day cricket and helped him pocket $5,000 after winning the ING Allrounders Award, easily achieving a season target of 250 runs and 10 wickets.

In reply, Queensland was all out for 194 in the 45th over.

Opener Daaniel Payne fell LBW to Adam Polkinghorne for 15 after just 13 balls and 12 minutes at the crease.

Rookie Nick Kruger, who scored 41 off 51 balls against the Southern Redbacks in his one-day debut last week, was caught by Michael Di Venuto at second slip for a disappointing 6.

The prize scalp of captain Martin Love (33) went to wicketkeeper Sean Clingeleffer.

Losing four wickets for 30, the Bulls victory hopes faded.

Love said if the Bulls had got Cox or Marsh out early on, the result may have been different.

"But they batted well, they're experienced campaigners now, and took the game out of our hands," Love said.

"I think the Tassie guys probably utilised the wicket better than we did.

"Unfortunately, we lost too many wickets at the start, in the first 15 or 20 overs, and couldn't get back from there."

He said the Bulls would miss much of the game between the Blues and the Redbacks tomorrow as they were travelling back home.

Tasmania picked up four points for today's win, plus a bonus point for dispatching the visitors under the 216 target.

Meanwhile, the results on an ACB investigation into the Pura Cup abandonment at Bellerive earlier this month are due to be released in Melbourne on Monday.