MacGill spins Blues into final - Sports News - Fanatics - the world's biggest events

MacGill spins Blues into final

By Michael Donaldson 08/03/2003 06:31:34 PM Comments (0)

New South Wales will go into next week's Pura Cup final with the psychological edge over Queensland after crushing the defending champion by 241 runs at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

Man of the match Stuart MacGill, who took the new ball in Queensland's second innings and finished with 4-76, said the experienced Blues line-up was set to win its first final in nearly a decade after bowling out the Bulls for 190 and 148.

The Blues didn't bat so well themselves in the first innings, making an abysmal 102, but they corrected that in a second innings of 8(dec)-477 with Steve Waugh (138) and Michael Clarke (120) making masterful centuries.

MacGill, who took nine wickets for the match, set up the win when he opened the bowling and took four wickets in the session from lunch to tea to spin Queensland out of the contest.

He said the experienced Blues - with Test players like the Waugh brothers, himself and Michael Slater - would take an edge to the Gabba next week.

"Queensland's been a very good team for the past five years (but) I guess the edge we have the moment is experience - there's a lot of inexperienced players in the Queensland side because they have so many representatives in the national set up."

MacGill was expecting a Gabba pitch which wouldn't suit him as much as the SCG but said Queensland's inability against the turning ball would still be a factor.

"It would be silly to write these blokes off as far as spin goes - they're just learning that's all."

Blues captain Steve Waugh decided to give MacGill the new ball when he saw Clinton Perren - a known MacGill bunny - coming in to open the batting.

"When they changed their batting order by opening with Perren - a move to get him away from the spinners - I thought I'd put the pressure back on them straight away," Waugh said.

Perren was the first to go and he went with a child-like send-off from MacGill, who put his hands to his cheeks and wiggled his fingers while pulling a face.

MacGill said it was just a tactic to let his long-time friend know who was boss.

"I've dismissed Clint a number of times now and sometimes players let their minds get involved ... and while I'm on top I want to stay there.

"I didn't swear at him. I don't think saying boo to somebody qualifies as anything too nasty.

"Clint and I have been friends for a number of years and we've been having a friendly rivalry for years - I don't know if there's anything significant there but if there is I want to be the one on top."

Queensland, while inexperienced, will go into the final with its bowling stocks replenished.

Captain Martin Love said the injured pair of Joe Dawes and Adam Dale were "definite" starters next week but that all-rounder Lee Carseldine was in doubt after hurting his back taking a catch in this match.

The defending champion will also be sweating on the health of Stuart Law, who has a bruised wrist which kept him out of this match.

Love said the conditions in Brisbane would be a major factor in his side's favour in the final.

"Next week will be different - we're playing at the Gabba not the SCG and it's going to be a completely different game."

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