TASMANIA cruised to a 50-run victory over NSW in the one-day game at Bellerive Oval yesterday to shoot to the top of the Ford Ranger Cup points table.

The win was set up by Tigers captain Dan Marsh with an unbeaten 106, including 11 fours and one six, in the home side's imposing total of 5-325.

Openers Travis Birt (79) and Michael Dighton (32) started the Tasmanian innings well with a 62-run partnership.

Nathan Hauritz was the pick of the NSW bowlers, finishing with 1-35 off 10 overs, while Bollinger finished with 2-60.

Marsh and George Bailey piled on a 99-run fourth-wicket partnership as the Tigers accelerated to amass 110 runs from the last 10 overs.

Only Brad Haddin showed resistance with the bat for the Blues, scoring a magnificent 138 not out in overcast, cold and windy conditions.

No other NSW batsman could manage a half century, including in-form captain Simon Katich who was caught behind for a golden duck off the bowling of newcomer and uncontracted player Nathan Wegman. Wegman finished with the credible figures of 4-44 off 8.5 overs.

If controversial Pakistani fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar hopes to redeem his image on the current Indian tour, he will first have to conquer Sachin Tendulkar.

Pakistan will play five one-dayers on this tour, the first starting in Guwahati on Monday. The teams will then clash in a three-Test series starting on November 22.

After returning to international cricket last month following a 13-match ban, Akhtar is on a mission.

"This may be my last tour so I must do something special for the fans in India so that they remember me in a good way," he said.

He needs to keep Tendulkar, the world's leading scorer in one-dayers, silent first if he wants to make this tour a memorable one for him.

AAP, AFP