Blues stand-in skipper and the season’s highest run-scorer, Kurtis Patterson, lifted his state to their 13th One-Day Cup title
New South Wales have won their first One-Day Cup title in five years after they defeated Tasmania by four wickets in a rain-affected decider at Bellerive Oval.
Reduced to a 22-over per side contest due to an afternoon drenching in Hobart, NSW rolled the hosts for 118 in 20.3 overs before chasing down the Tigers’ total with 11 balls to spare.
NSW stand-in skipper Kurtis Patterson (52 not out) capped a stellar One-Day Cup campaign with a superb half-century to help his team claim the Dean Jones Trophy. This season’s highest run-scorer finished the tournament by earning the Michael Bevan Medal, awarded to the player of the final.
Australian white-ball representatives Sean Abbott (3-25 off four overs) and Ben Dwarshuis (3-30 off five overs) ripped apart Tasmania’s top order, taking four scalps in as many overs during a wicket-filled start to the season decider.
The victory marks the first time NSW have won a men’s 50-over final outside their home state in 20 years dating back to the summer of 2005-06.
It’s their 13th One-Day Cup triumph and their first since the 2020-21 season. Only Western Australia hold more titles in the tournament’s history (17).
Patterson won the toss for NSW and opted to bowl on Wednesday, but the rain set in as the players were heading out to the middle. No play possible for nearly four hours before the match commenced under the revised conditions at 6.15pm – just 12 minutes before the cut-off time for a 20-over match that would have resulted in Tasmania being crowned champions as the top-ranked side.
“I don’t think it’s quite sunk in yet to be honest. We were about 10 minutes more rain away from not even getting on the field,” Patterson said post-match.
“It’s wild how the day panned out.
“The people who were allowed a phone in there (the change rooms) were looking at that radar like you wouldn’t believe and trying to move the clouds with their hands. You get lucky sometimes.”
Dwarshuis gave the Blues a dream start as he removed Caleb Jewell (0) and Test allrounder Beau Webster (4) in the opening over of the final. Abbott then made it three wickets in the opening 10 balls when he picked up Mitchell Owen (5).
Abbott claimed his second when he removed Ben McDermott (9) in his next over before Tasmania captain Jordan Silk (4) was run out when he took on Chris Green’s arm at mid-on as the hosts slumped to 5-25 inside six overs.
Matthew Wade (15) and Tim Ward (26) tried to resuscitate the Tigers’ innings and power-hitter Nikhil Chaudhary (31) top-scored for Tasmania from No.8.
Joel Davies (1-10) picked up his wicket in the 20th over, before Green dismissed Riley Meredith (1) to end the innings.
In reply, Meredith found the edge of Josh Philippe’s (4) blade in the first over of the chase with Webster making no mistake at second slip.
Ellis dismissed Sam Konstas (8) to keep Tasmania in the hunt but Patterson and Matthew Gilkes (16) weathered considerable seam movement to steady for NSW with a 37-run third wicket stand.
But Tasmania weren’t done, striking back with two quick wickets as Gilkes became Ellis’ second victim of the night before Matthew Kuhnemann removed Lachlan Shaw for a third-ball duck. Meredith then knocked over Green (4) to leave NSW wobbling at 5-73.
Davies (20) joined Patterson in the middle and the 22-year-old’s 10-ball cameo helped flip the script to put the visitors back in control. Although the young left-hander succumbed to Owen late, Tasmania couldn’t dislodge Patterson who brought up his sixth score of fifty or more this season.
Dwarshuis (10no) hit the winning runs as NSW as he clipped Kuhnemann down the ground to two in the penultimate over.
Tasmania will rue a dominant start to the regular season as they secured hosting rights for the final in November after winning their first five matches.
But they lost their momentum after the Big Bash break, dropping their last three matches, including the final. Meanwhile, NSW surged to the title with three straight victories, knocking off Tasmania in the final game of the regular season as well as securing a bonus point to book a rematch in the final.
Patterson’s scintillating 68-ball ton against Tasmania helped NSW reach the season finale after they chased down 275 in just 31 overs at Bellerive Oval.
In the final, it was Patterson once again who stood tall for NSW to repeat his heroics with the silverware on the line. His last three innings in the one-day competition this season were 104no, 125no and 52no in the final.
The result means head coach Greg Shipperd will finish his three-and-a-half-year tenure with a domestic title at the Blues.
The veteran mentor will depart the role at NSW Cricket following the final round of the Sheffield Shield season, which begins on Saturday, having also claimed two titles with the Sydney Sixers as coach in BBL|09 and |10.
One-Day Cup 2025-26 standings
Team
Matches played
M
Wins
W
Losses
L
Ties
T
No results
N/R
Net Run Rate
NRR
Deductions
Ded.
Batting Bonus
Bat
Total points
PTS
1
TAS
7
5
2
0
0
0.33
0
2
22
2
NSW
7
4
3
0
0
0.765
0
3
19
3
QLD
7
4
3
0
0
0.607
0
2
18
4
WA
7
4
3
0
0
0.127
0.5
2
17.5
5
SA
7
2
5
0
0
-0.911
0
2
10
6
VIC
7
2
5
0
0
-0.916
0
0
8
Legend
M: Matches played
W: Wins
L: Losses
T: Ties
N/R: No results
NRR: Net Run Rate
Ded.: Deductions
Bat: Batting Bonus
PTS: Total points
