Electing to bat at Stadium Australia, the Redbacks’ top score of a mere 13 from Pollard illustrated a woeful batting display as they plunged to 81 all out in 14.4 overs and the NSW Blues replied with 82 for two in just 8.4 overs.
Smith grabbed two wickets for four runs off two overs and linked up with pacer Grant Lambert (3-20) and leg-spinner Steven Smith (2-24) to wreck South Australia’s innings.
Pollard struck one six and faced 15 balls for his 13 while Daniel Harris (11), Tom Cooper (11) and Daniel Christian (11) were embarrassingly the only others getting to double figures for the South Australia Redbacks
Set an easy target of 82 to win, NSW sped toward victory with openers David Warner (54) and Philip Hughes (25) posting 78 for the first wicket before Phil Jaques and Moises Henriques completed the facile victory with more than 11 overs to spare.
In front of 26,406 fans, Warner bludgeoned his half century off just 20 balls with three fours and six sixes.
Queensland will host Dwayne Bravo’s Victoria in the preliminary final tomorrow for the right to play the Redbacks in the final on Saturday.
