From the brink of disaster, New South Wales has grasped a thrilling ING Cup victory over Queensland by five wickets and with three deliveries to spare here at the Sydney Cricket Ground today.

A captain's knock - in the form of a wonderful century - from Steve Waugh (101*) and the fastest fifty of the season from left hander Mark Higgs (63*) turned the game around, completely swinging the momentum in favour of the Blues.

Set a revised target of 250 runs to win from a rain-reduced maximum of 44 overs, the New South Wales upper and middle order found that grey clouds and strong winds were not their only problems. Andy Bichel (59* and 2/38), the man who had earlier slayed them with the bat, was also lethal with the ball.

But a timely, unbroken partnership of 105 between Waugh and Higgs ultimately saw them devastate a Queensland bowling attack that had been well on top by the time that the home team slumped to a score of 5/147. When they were joined, the Blues needed as many as 103 runs from a maximum 75 deliveries to win but they performed the job in cool and calculating style, with aggressive shots to both sides of the wicket.

The Blues duly remained the only unbeaten team in the competition and also gained an important psychological edge over the Bulls ahead of next week's Pura Cup game in Brisbane.

Higgs smashed his way to the quickest fifty of the season with a brilliant innings that included six fours and one six. His running between the wickets with Waugh was also a standout. Tasmania's Michael Di Venuto and Queensland's Andrew Symonds (each with half-centuries from 33 balls) had previously held the record for this season, and Waugh was quick to acknowledge the outstanding effort of his young teammate in overhauling them.

"He had an exceptional innings, his placement was excellent, he could not have played a better innings," Waugh said.

Higgs, too, believed it was probably the best he had ever seen the ball.

"It was good fun. I'm not sure I have actually (hit the ball better). It was one of those better days," Higgs said.

The daring and brash manner of the partnership had a good-natured crowd chanting and clapping almost every ball after a day of stop-start cricket.

After it had earlier caused a delayed start, rain also interrupted the second session of play and made life difficult for the NSW batsmen early. The quick departures of Brad Haddin (0) and Mark Waugh (4) represented major setbacks and it was only when Steve Waugh and Michael Bevan (56) came together that the Blues' batsmen genuinely found their feet.

Even the national captain was fortunate to remain at the crease for as long as he did, though. On 11, the ball seemed to brush his gloves as he flicked at a Bichel delivery on the line of his hip on its way through to the hands of wicketkeeper Wade Seccombe. The Queensland appeal was vociferous but umpire Terry Keel remained unmoved.

Waugh also slashed twice into the vicinity of the slips cordon, but survived both times. On the latter occasion, the ball flew at head height between Stuart Law and Martin Love but each seemed to believe it was the other's catch.

Around another rain delay that caused six overs to be wiped from the innings, Bevan was caught behind off the bowling of James Hopes (1/50) and Michael Slater (2) and Shane Lee (7) quickly joined him in the pavilion. It was Bichel who accounted for Slater by trapping him plumb in front, and Lee was then caught brilliantly by Jimmy Maher, diving fully outstretched to his left.

New South Wales' problems looked to be mounting even further given that Waugh appeared at least once to need to stretch the calf which he injured during the recent Ashes tour.

Earlier, Queensland's score of 7/274 owed much to the batting of Bichel, Maher (57) and Seccombe (37) at different ends of the innings. Bichel was especially impressive as he clattered his way to his highest score in domestic one-day cricket in Australia. Like their opponents, the Bulls suffered a lapse in the middle stages of their innings, and it was essentially only Bichel's ability to score at consistently better than a run-a-ball and hit shots into gaps that hoisted them to their final tally. With the combative right hander in great touch, as many as 17 runs were plundered from the 49th over of the innings.

"He is an excellent cricketer who always gives 100% and who is always at you. He is one guy who always gives 100% so you have to respect him," said Waugh of Bichel's efforts today.

The NSW pace attack lacked its usual potency, with Glenn McGrath (2/36) and Brett Lee (0/44) each struggling to make early incisions. Nathan Bracken (2/58) was impressive, though, and even snared the vital wickets of Love (30) and Maher with consecutive deliveries at one point. Albeit that he was expensive at times, Stuart MacGill (3/56) also made an important contribution to the Blues' win.

© 2001 CricInfo Ltd