Marsh stars in Tasmanian win over SA

ADELAIDE, Nov 29 AAP - Tasmanian all-rounder Daniel Marsh capped a wonderful game with bat and ball, taking the crucial wicket of South Australian centurion Greg Blewett to sew up a 22-run victory in their day-night ING Cup cricket match at Adelaide Oval tonight.

In reply to Tasmania's 6-282, SA made 7-260 with only some lusty hitting from SA wicketkeeper Graham Manou (56 not out from 33 balls) at the end of the innings preventing a much bigger Tigers win.

Manou's half-century came off just 29 balls, the fastest in the competition so far this season.

But it came too late to detract from the superb performance of Marsh.

The man of the match scored an unbeaten, inventive 62 off 50 balls at the tailend of Tasmania's innings.

He shared in a fifth wicket partnership of 92 off 77 balls with top-scorer Graeme Cunningham (77 off 77 balls) to push the Tigers to their huge total.

SA looked competitive in its run-chase while skipper Blewett, who opened the innings, was at the crease.

Blewett, who scored an unbeaten 109 in SA's previous one-day match against Western Australia, made 102 from 123 balls with 13 boundaries tonight and guided the Redbacks to 4-158 in the 34th over.

But Marsh, in his second over, drew a thick inside edge from an attempted lofted straight drive from Blewett and had him caught at midwicket to end SA's hopes.

None of the other batsmen in SA's top seven reached 30, highlighting the lack of support for Blewett, who had scored almost two-thirds of his team's runs at the time of his dismissal.

Marsh also picked up the wicket of all-rounder Michael Miller near the end of the innings to finish with the excellent figures of 2-45 from nine overs.

Opener Michael Dighton was another good performer for Tasmania with 60, while Shane Watson made 40 from 43 balls early in the Tigers' innings and chimed in with 1-53 from 10 overs.

Tasmanian opening bowler Damien Wright took 1-33 from 10 tight overs.

Marsh said it had been a great comeback for the Tigers, after losing outright to New South Wales in a Pura Cup match in Hobart earlier in the week.

"We came out and played really well, especially the batters played well today, and to win against South Australia away from home is a great effort from us," Marsh said.

"We were pretty confident when we got 280, I think it's our highest ever score against the Redbacks, if we can't defend that we're going to struggle."

He said the wicket of Blewett was the key.

"Greg Blewett batted particularly well and we were all pretty relieved when he got out," he said

"I was just trying to keep him to ones, stop the boundaries and try to tie up Mick Miller, who was batting at the other end.

"Obviously the run-rate was going up and he had to play a risky shot, so lucky for me and the team he hit it straight to the fielder.

"There were a few worrying moments when Graham Manou was hitting us around at the end there, but I think we were all pretty confident in the end."