Defending one-day champion Victoria claimed its third consecutive win to keep its title hopes alive with a 12-run victory over Queensland.
The Bushrangers won the toss and were held to a modest total of 237 in 48.4 overs at the MCG on Wednesday, but their bowlers knocked over the Bulls for just 225 in reply from 48.1 overs.
Victorian medium-pacer Andrew McDonald claimed a career-best 5 for 38 off 9.1 overs in a match-winning display.
The result puts Victoria third on 13 points, trailing only Queensland (17) and Tasmania (18).
James Hopes (4 for 64 off 13 overs) and Alister McDermott (4 for 30 off 10.4) had led the way for the Bulls in the field.
Victoria struggled early at 5 for 94 before Aaron Finch (71) and Rob Quiney (38) added 61.
Quiney and Glenn Maxwell (50 off 37 balls) continued the home side's lower-order fightback with a 67-run partnership for the seventh wicket.
The Bulls started poorly in their run chase as Ben Dunk (13), Ryan Broad (run out for 6) and Chris Lynn (0) departed inside the first nine overs.
McDonald made a key breakthrough to remove Peter Forrest caught behind for 27 at 4 for 61.
Hopes (39) and Nathan Reardon (53) steadied Queensland's innings with a 79-run partnership before Hopes attempted a pull shot and was caught behind off Clint McKay at 5 for 140.
Reardon shook his head in fury after being found short of his ground following a mix-up with Steve Paulsen at 6 for 151.
Paulsen (36) and Michael Neser (22) shared a 50-run stand for the seventh wicket but both fell to McDonald's bowling in the 45th over as Victoria hit back strongly.
McDonald claimed the last four wickets of the innings.
"We need to win maybe six in a row so we're halfway there," Victoria captain Cameron White said after the match.
"We're still in with a shot.
"Andrew McDonald bowled really well. His figures were fantastic."
Hopes said the two run-outs were hammer blows to Queensland's hopes of victory.
A disappointed Bulls coach Darren Lehmann said run-outs were simply "bad cricket".
"It was not great batting from both sides but very good bowling from both sides," he said.
McDonald said the Bushrangers were confident of reaching the one-day final.
Victoria's two remaining games in the one-dayers, following the break for the Big Bash Twenty20 series, are against South Australia on February 7 and 18.
"It's a nice feeling when you go into Christmas and you know you're still alive," he said.
"There's nothing worse than playing dead rubbers.
"To come back and have nothing to play for in one competition would have been a nasty set of circumstances."
AAP
Tags: cricket, sport, melbourne-3000, vic, brisbane-4000, qld, australia First posted December 07, 2011 22:10:10
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