Josh Philippe carried his outstanding domestic one-day form from last season into a new campaign as he starred in Western Australia's four-wicket win over Queensland in Brisbane.
The player of the 2022-23 tournament, the 26-year-old Phillipe, who made three ODI and 10 T20 appearances for Australia in 2021, scored a match-high 90 off 88 balls at Allan Border Field.
WA reached their target of 239 with 9.4 overs to spare as they made a successful start to their bid for a third straight one-day domestic cup, despite having six players away on international duty and others on the injury list.
They lost opener D'Arcy Short for a first-ball duck and Cameron Bancroft for 10, but Philippe's third-wicket stand of 90 off 80 balls with Sam Whiteman (62 off 52) took the game away from the Bulls.
Philippe, who scored a century for Australia A against their New Zealand counterparts in a first-class game earlier this month, and totalled 40 runs across three one-day games, struck 10 fours and a six.
A late flurry of fours from Perth's 2022-23 BBL final hero Cooper Connolly (42 off 32) and a steady hand from captain Ashton Turner (27 not out off 55) carried them to the verge of victory.
The Bulls paid the price for not turning several starts into more substantial scores as they were dismissed for 238 with 22 balls remaining.
Four of their top seven scored at least 36 and the other three got to double figures, but no one made more than Ben McDermott's 52 off 69 balls.
They were well placed at 1-102 in the 20th over, but lost 3-19.
Paceman Lance Morris. (4-64 off 10 overs) was expensive and wayward early but made a successful return from a back issue, as he smashed through the bottom half of the order, with Queensland losing 5-40.
Australian T20 and ODI representative McDermott, who has returned to Queensland from Tasmania, was run out backing up too far after bowler AJ Tye deflected a Matt Renshaw straight drive on to the stumps.
Max Bryant (42 off 50), Michael Neser (40 off 50) and Sam Heazlett (36 off 43) were the other batters who perished after being well set.
Pacemen Cameron Gannon (1-22 off 8), Tye (2-46 off 10) and spinner Short (2-47 off 7.2) supported Morris in keeping up the pressure.
Philippe provided the spark at the start of the WA chase, but was happy to play second fiddle when Whiteman tore into the Bulls bowlers.
Whiteman, who has returned from a stint with English county Northamptonshire, took 14 off four balls from Neser, including a ramp for six over fine leg before the paceman switched to around the wicket and got him to chop the ball onto his stumps.
