Stuart MacGill was again a last wicket hero as NSW clinched its fourth ING Cup title in six seasons despite a mighty scare from South Australian tearaway Shaun Tait.

The Blues appeared headed for a comfortable victory after firing out South Australia for a meagre 154 at Adelaide Oval.

But man of the match Tait, on the comeback trial from shoulder surgery, carried the Redbacks to within an ace of their first domestic limited overs trophy since 1987.

He produced a frighteningly quick spell of 6-41, including three top order wickets in one over - and a total of 14 wides.

Eventually, however, Tait ran out of overs, and last man MacGill joined teenage allrounder Moises Henriques at the wicket with six runs needed.

MacGill was able to glance the winning runs, just as he had done in last season's Pura Cup final against Queensland.

"Stuey said in the rooms 'don't worry I've done it all before', and he really came up with the ball today in a big game as well," said Blues captain Brad Haddin.

SA captain Darren Lehmann was lavish in his praise of Tait, who turned the match into a contest with three top order wickets - Corey Richards, Matthew Phelps and Phil Jaques - in one blistering over.

Lehmann said room would have to be found for Tait, alongside fellow Ashes tourist Jason Gillespie, when the Test squad is chosen for the tour to South Africa.

"It's pretty special isn't it, three wickets in an over, we probably won't see him for long, he'll probably go (to South Africa) as well now," he said.

"He's been bowling well, one day cricket suits him because you have to score off him, and he gets wickets at the right times."

Mark Cosgrove's earlier 49 was the only significant score for the Redbacks, who were confounded by pacemen Aaron Bird (3-30), Doug Bollinger (2-35) and the talented Henriques (1-35).

Haddin took five tidy catches after accomplishing his most important task by winning the toss in bowler-friendly conditions.

"The young kids weren't overawed, we stressed to them that this is a big occasion and funny things happen, and the way they came up today after the month we've had was a huge effort," Haddin said.

"We've had three finals over the past three years and been underdogs in all of them, but the guys just have the knack of coming up for the big occasions."

SA struggled to deal with the early movement and Greg Blewett was lbw to the second ball of the day.

Cosgrove and Daniel Harris took advantage of early errors in length by Bollinger and Henriques, and at 1-66 were well set.

However Henriques, deep into an impressive eight over spell, drew a snick from Harris (22) to expose the middle order.

At the other end, first change Bird found the right amount of deviation and Cosgrove's inside edge was followed by Callum Ferguson's outside edge for a golden duck.

Cameron Borgas was squared up and bowled by another good one in Bird's next over, and when SA skipper Darren Lehmann squirted Bollinger to second slip the Blues had taken 5-24 in less than eight overs.

A 53-run stand between Graham Manou and Mark Cleary was terminated just when it began to assume useful proportions, and the final total was only reached after Daniel Cullen had been sacrificed - to little effect - for batsman and supersub Ken Skewes.

Spinners MacGill (2-21) and Aaron O'Brien (2-6) tidied up the tail in time to give NSW six overs before the interval.

Though Craig Simmons was yorked, Richards and Jaques took the total to 65 soon after lunch.

At that point Tait resumed from the River End, and with his first two balls he had Richards pouched at slip for 35 and Phelps (0) beaten for pace to be lbw.

After a wide and a single, Jaques (21) could only succeed in gloving a short-pitched rocket to Manou, giving Tait his third victim in the over.

Dominic Thornely kept Haddin company while 44 was added, his stay ended on 25 by another Tait roaster that he guided to slip.

Haddin was run out by Ferguson's direct hit from point, Krejza gloved Tait down the legside for Manou to take an athletic catch, and the Blues dressing room became a nervous place indeed as O'Brien played Cleary onto his stumps and Bird was lbw to part-timer Mark Cosgrove.

That brought MacGill to the crease, and a scampered three off Cosgrove was followed by the winning glance from Lehmann's bowling to end a white knuckle final.

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