Harris and Bailey secure draw for Redbacks
Daniel Harris played a captain's innings to save South Australia from defeat at the Adelaide Oval, where Victoria had to settle for a draw despite their enormous first-innings lead
Cricinfo staff
02-Nov-2009
Daniel Harris played a captain's innings to save South Australia from defeat at the Adelaide Oval, where Victoria had to settle for a draw despite their enormous first-innings lead. Harris and the nightwatchman Cullen Bailey frustrated the Bushrangers in a 200-run stand that ensured there would be no result.
Both men posted their highest first-class scores and they batted until after tea on the final day to severely frustrate a Victoria side that had earned a 351-run first-innings advantage. The loss of Bailey for 91, lbw to Bryce McGain in the third session, was the only breakthrough for Victoria, who began the day hopeful of grabbing the eight wickets they needed.
It was Harris, the acting captain in the absence of Graham Manou, who most impressively led from the front. A patient batsman who had managed three previous first-class hundreds in a stop-start decade-long career, Harris settled in for an eight-hour stay that left him unbeaten on 166, beating his previous best of 124, set last summer.
The Bushrangers found it tough going on a lifeless pitch - McGain toiled for 1 for 96 from 36 overs and nine bowlers were used in all. Darren Pattinson replaced Clint McKay, who flew out to India to join the ODI team mid-match, but nothing could spark the Victorians in the face of the match-saving partnership from Harris and Bailey.