Lucky Symonds guides Qld to victory

PERTH, Jan 2 AAP - Under-fire allrounder Andrew Symonds was in danger of having a restraining order brought against him by Lady Luck tonight.

The surprise World Cup squad selection flirted with good fortune against Western Australia as Queensland posted a six-wicket win in the limited-overs cup match at the WACA Ground.

The athletic Symonds (66no from 69 balls) and Clinton Perren (53no from 74 balls) coasted to victory with an unbeaten 124-run fifth-wicket stand to secure the four points.

Chasing 227 runs, the pair reached the target with 29 balls to spare.

But despite all his luck, the 27-year-old Symonds will be hoping to continue to build his form in the abbreviated version of the game before next month's World Cup in Africa.

Symonds faced 11 balls before scoring his first run which was an edge for four just past the grasp of first slip Kade Harvey.

Then on five he flashed at a wide Matthew Nicholson delivery which fell just short of a diving Shaun Marsh at third man.

And on 10 he flat-batted a shot just beyond the outstretched Marsh at mid-off before a leading edge over point later in the over.

From then he mixed some brutal shots with more reckless ones before guiding the Bulls to a victory.

The result moved Queensland to within a point of ING Cup leader New South Wales but the Blues can stretch their lead out again this Sunday in Tasmania.

The Warriors remained mid-table on eight points and with plenty of time to make a charge for the final with six matches to go.

Michael Hussey won the toss for Western Australia and teenager Shaun Marsh's quickfire 40 from 31 balls helped his team to a total of 7-226.

Only some sharp fielding from Daniel Payne stopped him pushing the home team's score closer to 250.

The Bulls did well to restrict the Warriors in warm conditions after Chris Rogers (57 from 80 balls) and Scott Meuleman (45 from 78 balls) laid the foundations with an opening stand of 94.

Allrounder James Hopes (2-25 off nine overs of high-medium pacers) and spinner Nathan Hauritz (3-59 off 10 overs) were the pick of the bowlers.

In reply, the Bulls were in early trouble with skipper Jimmy Maher (9) dismissed by the recalled Stuart Karppinen.

Just over 12 months since his last state appearance Karppinen dived well to his right for a sharp return catch to remove the dangerous left-hander.

Lee Carseldine received a slice of luck resurrecting the run chase on 26 when wicketkeeper Ryan Campbell dropped a tough chance off Callum Thorp's first one-day over for WA.

But the debutant Thorp made up for the miss in the field with a marvellous diving effort in the deep to remove opener Payne (32).

Evergreen bowler Jo Angel (2-41) was then on a hat-trick after Carseldine (48) top-edged the next ball and Campbell made sure of his second chance.

Stuart Law (2) kept out the ball but Thorp removed him soon after.

But just as WA looked liked getting into the match Symonds entered and produced hardly one of his best knocks but an effective one nevertheless.