NICHOLS Point pulled off one of the great escapes in Sunraysia cricket with a thrilling two-run win in the last over over reigning premier Mildura Settlers on Saturday at Nichols Point Reserve.
Having earlier finished with 7/203 from their 40 overs, the Pointers looked in serious trouble with Settlers 2/178 in the 30th over and Luke Stanbrook (81) and Braidyn Turner (44) looking like the matchwinners.
Stanbrook in particular was imperious, with eight boundaries and four sixes — one over the Nichols Point clubrooms — in his knock.
But when Stanbrook fell to be the first of five wickets for Jack Norton that triggered a collapse — with the final eight wickets falling for just 23 runs.
“(I’m) super proud of the boys, it’s probably one of the best wins I’ve had from the position we were in,” Pointers captain Brad Thomas said.
“I guess just staying in the game and not giving up were the main things, the boys just kept putting the ball in the right areas and we were lucky enough to get the set batsmen out and put pressure on the new batsmen.”
In the end the match still came down to the last over, bowled by Tyson Giles, with the experienced Richie Wyld still at the crease and looking a threat with his side having two wickets in hand.
But no.10 Nelson Mensforth, in his first match against his old side, was run out without facing a ball as he tried to scramble back for a tight second and keep Wyld on strike, before Wyld was trapped LBW by Giles on the fourth ball of the over for seven to end the innings.
Seventeen-year-old Norton finished with 5/28 from 7.2 overs (after bowling two balls to complete an over earlier for an injured Dean Fulco).
“We always knew Jack was going to be a big part of our future, he is such a level headed kid and I know all the boys love playing with him,” Thomas said.
“I’m sure he will gain confidence from the past two weeks and I’m really looking forward to watching him develop further over the course of the season.”
Earlier Leigh Thomson-Mathews got Nichols Point off to a flier with the bat with his second consecutive half century.
The hard-hitting opener brought up his 50 runs in the 10th over of the innings before falling for 83 in the 21st over — with the Pointers on 110 at the time.
Thomson-Mathews hit four boundaries and eight sixes — one out of the ground and into the irrigation channel that runs by the reserve — in his whirlwind knock.
Thomas also made a half century with an important 51 at first drop and lauded Thomson-Mathews for his ability to take the pressure off the rest of the lineup.
“We are over the moon to have Leigh a part of the club this season, he is such a great person to have around the club,” he said.
“He is probably the best striker of a cricket ball I have played with and having him at the top of the order when the field is up is such a bonus for us.
“It just gives guys like myself and Shaun (Mathews) the ability to get into our innings without having to worry about the run rate.”
Injuries to fast bowling recruit Luke Coates (ankle) and workhorse all rounder Fulco (hamstring) did sour the Pointers’ win somewhat.
Seamus Keogh claimed 3/50 for Settlers and the 17-year-old is already shaping up as one of the best bowlers in the competition for years to come.
Swallows survive scare against gritty Blues
FOR the second week in a row Coomealla Wentworth were involved in a last-over nailbiter, this time a two run loss to Irymple.
Following on from a round one win over highly-fancied Workers Gol Gol Coomealla Wentworth Coomealla Wentworth put themselves right in the game by bowling Irymple out for 119 — set up by Kobe Smith’s tight 1/14 off eight overs and a late flurry of 3/18 from Matt George.
Irymple co-captain Dan Coghlan (23) and Wade Minter (21) were the only Irymple batsmen to pass 20.
In response the Swallows’ bowling won out, with Coomealla Wentworth all out for 117 after 40 overs.
The needed seven of the last over and four off the last ball but were unable to come up with the winning runs this time.
Reigning joint Innes medallist Bryson Lush took 3/24 for Irymple, with the rest of the wickets shared around with Coghlan, Dean Fairlie and Bailey Anderson claiming two apiece.
Workers Gol Gol respond with solid win
WORKERS Gol Gol made up for a last ball loss in round one to Coomealla Wentworth with a comfortable eight wicket win over Mildura East.
A great 68-run knock from Shacaya Thomas helped Workers Well on the way to passing East’s tally of 136 in the 29th over, with opening partner Ben McPhee also contributing 49.
Earlier Tom Vadlja made 68 of East’s 136 runs, battling injury with a runner required, while captain-coach Josh Berry made 31 at the top of the order.
Nick Jensen was the only multiple wicket taker of the day with 2/28.
Mildura West veteran pair star with bat against Merbein South
TWIN 75s to former coach Chris Williams and former captain Brandon Dixon helped Mildura West to a 94-run win against Merbein South.
The pair, missing from West’s opening round loss to Irymple, showed their class with the standout knocks, backed up by 19 from new West coach Davison Mbindi and 14 from fellow vet Shane Driscoll to help the side set Merbein South 2019 to chase.
The Saints were never really in the hunt, being well behind the run rate and losing their first five wickets for 86 before finishing on 8/125.
Ash Durie’s 31 was the standout score, with Rob Roelofs 23 not out.
Than Rajapakse and Driscoll took two wickets each for West.
