Ricky Ponting plays an aggressive shot in the one-day match at the WACA yesterday.
PERTH - Ricky Ponting has taken Western Australia's one-day final hopes away, helping Tasmania post 6-307 in yesterday's cup match at the WACA.
Ponting was dropped twice on his way to making 95, but the former Test captain was far from pleased when run out as he neared his century.
Jordan Silk, the man most responsible for Ponting's dismissal, made 66, while an unbeaten 59 off 37 balls from James Faulkner helped the Tigers post 6-307 from their 50 overs.
A maiden one-day domestic century from the returning Mitch Marsh was not enough for Western Australia to book a place in Saturday's Cup final, with Tasmania winning by 51 runs.
Having won their past two one-day cup games, WA needed to beat the Tigers with a bonus point to feature in the final at the MCG against Victoria.
WA captain Michael Hussey won the toss and sent Tasmania into bat largely so that WA would know exactly how many runs they needed to chase down in 40 overs.
Tasmania's openers made a solid start before Burt Cockley picked up two wickets in two balls with Jon Wells out for 19 and Ben Dunk for 10.
The Tigers were then 2-35 but Ponting and George Bailey (38) came together and more than steadied the ship in a partnership of 92.
Despite Ponting being dropped by Ashton Turner when on four and by the returning Mitch Marsh on 35, the pair did well to set up the Tigers' innings.
Bailey, also dropped on 23 by Sam Whiteman, was bowled attempting to sweep young spinner Turner, but Ponting looked better the longer he stayed at the wicket.
He started to time the ball sweetly once he reached his 50 and looked certain of a century, but then his partner Silk called for a suicide run and Hussey hit the stumps directly to leave Ponting well short.
He made 95 from 105 deliveries with 13 boundaries.
With the bonus point win and place in the final gone, WA went on to be bowled out for 256 to lose the match and finish the one-day season on the bottom of the table.
Faulkner took 3-62 for Tasmania, with Evan Gulbis claiming 2-57.
