Last-gasp Bulls crowned champions

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Nine-time champions ... the Bulls leave it late to defeat Victoria in the Ryobi Cup final. Source: Julian Smith / AAP

Queensland have taken two wickets in the last over to beat Victoria by two runs in an astonishing one-day cricket final at the MCG.

ODD - Melbourne Cricket Ground

27 February 2013 - Day 1, Session 2

Victoria 1st Innings

D. Pattinson	1	2	0	0	50
F. Ahmed	0	1	0	0	0
R. Harris	7.4	1	26	4	3.39

Former Test paceman Ryan Harris dismissed Clint McKay and Fawad Ahmed with successive deliveries to end the match with two balls left.

Needing five runs from the last over, Victoria were bowled out for 144 from 31.4 overs in the rain-shortened game.

It is Queensland's ninth one-day title, while Victoria have made six finals in the last seven seasons for only one win.

This was a classic Ryobi Cup match, featuring near-continuous rain through the Victorian innings and repeated momentum shifts.

McKay loomed as the hero with his innings of 18 at No.9, including a monstrous driven six off Cameron Gannon that landed 15 rows deep in the Ponsford Stand.

But a superb delivery from Harris had him caught behind and the following ball, Peter Forrest took a sharp catch at second slip to dismiss Ahmed.

Harris was named man of the match, taking 4-26 from 7.4 overs.

Rain stopped play for two hours and 42 minutes in the Queensland innings.

The bowler-friendly conditions meant Victoria's target of 147 from 32 overs was always a lot tougher than it appeared.

Queensland bowled superbly and had the upper hand when they reduced Victoria to 4-42 in the 13th over.

Captain Cameron White and Peter Handscomb then combined for a 63-run stand from 74 balls that briefly put them back in control.

When Handscomb lofted Alistair McDermott for four at the end of the 25th over, Victoria were 4-105 and had passed their par score.

That was vital, given the persistent rain.

But one ball later, a bouncer from Gannon had White caught behind for 28.

In the following over, the momentum swung even more dramatically back in Queensland's favour when Handscomb was caught in the deep off McDermott for 42.

After John Hastings fell for 28th over for three, Victoria were teetering at 7-114 before McKay and Will Sheridan combined for 29-run stand.

Just when Victoria looked in control again, McDermott bowled Sheridan for eight in the second-last over.

Queensland were teetering at 4-69 after 20.1 overs when rain stopped play.

But a big-hitting knock from No.8 Jason Floros helped put them back in contention.

Floros was the last wicket to fall and top scored with 47 from 32 balls.

He started the last over of the innings from John Hastings with a six, a four and a six before he tried to hook a bouncer and was caught behind.

Clint McKay, Darren Pattinson, Hastings and Will Sheridan all took two wickets apiece.

While the Bulls were jubilant, the Bushrangers were shattered by the near-miss.

I don't think you can be hurting any more than I am hurting right now,'' White said when asked about their poor one-day finals record in the past few years.

"Like this one, you live with the losses you've had previously as well.

"It's a bitter pill to swallow at the moment."

White said they had not bowled well at the start of the Queensland innings and conceded too many sundries - 21 for the innings.

"Tonight was just about getting the ball in the right area enough," he said.

"You saw the pitch had plenty of life in it ... it was under covers, two brand-new balls.

"We weren't able to do that well enough and Queensland did that very well."

While White conceded the dismissals of himself, Handscomb and Hastings were crucial, he said he would not have changed his mindset at the time.

"I knew we'd gotten the (par) rate back, I wasn't trying to over-hit the ball," he said.

"I was trying to hit it along the ground."

By contrast, Harris only returned to interstate cricket earlier this month in Queensland's one-day win over Victoria at the MCG.

He has battled injuries since last year.

Harris admitted he briefly was not aware he was bowling the final over of the game.

"So I just ran in and bowled and got those two good balls out that McKay nicked and then the last one," he said.

"Something clicked and they came through alright."

Harris added he was in shock after the match.

Asked if he had played in a game with so many momentum shifts, Harris said: ``No, probably not. It was amazing.''

Harris was also in awe of the two sixes that McKay walloped in his innings.

"I want one of his bats," he said.

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