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NSW cruise into final

The New South Wales Blues romped into the Champions League Twenty20 final as they crushed the Victoria Bushrangers by 79 runs in their semifinal clash at the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium in Delhi on Wednesday.

After winning the toss and electing to bat New South Wales posted a formidable 169 for seven, the highest total scored at the ground during the tournament.

In reply, Victoria struggled to 90 for nine with medium-pacer Moises Henriques picking up three for 11 from three overs.

The Blues’ total was built around a 62-run first-wicket stand between the left-handed pair of David Warner and Phillip Hughes.

Warner looked in particularly good form as he thrashed his way to 48 runs off just 25 balls with seven fours and two sixes, but his entertaining innings was cut short when he was run out after a throw from Andrew McDonald at point.

Hughes then took up the challenge as he made his way to 35 off 28 balls before he was bowled by seamer Clint McKay in the tenth over.

The Blues’ middle-order built on the good start to the innings as Daniel Smith (20), Simon Katich (26) and Ben Rohrer (19) all made useful contributions.

McKay ended with the respectable figures of three for 27 off four overs and he ensured that the Blues did not finish as well as they would have liked as he claimed two wickets in the last over of the innings.

While Warner had made batting look easy on the Delhi pitch, Victoria’s batsmen struggled to cope with the low bounce.

The Bushrangers slumped to three for six inside three overs as off-spinner Nathan Hauritz, who shared new ball duties, picked up two wickets in his first over.

David Hussey (16) and Cameron White (11) tried to steady their teams’ innings but both men were removed by Henriques as Victoria slumped to 39 for five with their challenge effectively ended as early as the 11th over.

Left-handed batsman Matthew Wade played a lone hand as he ended unbeaten on 23 off 29 balls.

Henriques received superb support from the other Blues’ bowlers as Hauritz picked up two for 25 and paceman Brett Lee claimed two for 15.

Left-arm fast bowler Doug Bollinger bowled with great control to end with the economical figures of one for 14 off four overs.

New South Wales will play either Trinidad & Tobago or the Cape Cobras in the final in Hyderabad on Friday.

Teams:

New South Wales Blues:
David Warner, Phillip Hughes, Daniel Smith (wk), Simon Katich (capt), Moises Henriques, Steven Smith, Ben Rohrer, Brett Lee, Nathan Hauritz, Stuart Clark, Doug Bollinger.

Victoria Bushrangers:
Rob Quiney, Brad Hodge, Adrian Blizzard, David Hussey, Cameron White (capt), Andrew McDonald, Matthew Wade (wk), Clint McKay, Shane Harwood, Jon Holland, Peter Siddle.
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