RAIN, and a capitulation by the Merbein South batting order, conspired to give Coomealla Wentworth a Sunraysia Cricket Association finals lifeline.
The combine were the only team to get a positive result in Saturday’s final home-and-away fixture, leap-frogging them over Mildura West for the final spot in this season’s top four.
Persistent drizzling rain from just after the tea break saw all matches come to a premature conclusion, but not before Coomealla Wentworth made light work of their match against the Saints.
Batting first, Merbein South were skittled for just 40 runs – their worst batting performance in a winless season – handing Coomealla-Wentworth the unlikeliest of victories in a severely rain-shortened day’s play.
The Saints were never in the mix and at 5-28 their season-ending match appeared a gloomy as the skies above, but things just got worse when they lost their final five wickets for just two runs with only Aaron Walder reaching double figures with 11.
Bevan Wade was the pick of the bowlers with 3-14 from his eight overs while Justin Freeman, Tom Stokes and Liam Freeman took two wickets apiece.
With rain clouds looming and a finals tilt on the line, the Blues made light work of the run chase, belting 43 runs from 39 balls for the loss of one wicket.
Mildura West were never guaranteed the result would fall in their favour after Nichols Point knocked up a defendable 5-215 from their 40 overs on Saturday.
Led by Brad Thomas with an unbeaten 84 from 112 balls and Brett Cumming’s 56 in better than a run a ball, the Pointers appeared to have all the running – especially after West lost their four top-order batsmen for 59 runs when rain halted play.
Rakii Woetai caused most of the damage with 3-16, leaving West to ponder what could have been after winning six of their previous seven matches only to miss a finals berth by a whisker.
Irymple warmed up for a tilt at this season’s flag with a solid, yet unremarkable, stint with the bat against lowly Mildura East.
Batting first, Irymple reached 8-211 from their 40 overs with Bryson Lush again outstanding at the top of the order with 71 from 69 balls to take his season average to a tick under 30, helped along by contributions from Mark Thomson (28) and David Filippi (24).
East tried eight bowlers against the onslaught with Jayden Hunt the standout with 6-28 from his maximum eight overs.
Irymple were able to throw only 7.2 overs down before the heavens opened and with East 1-9 when play was abandoned only a minor miracle could have gifted them their fifth win of the season.
Workers Gol Gol and Mildura Settlers were able to show only a glimpse of what may be in store for their semi-final clash this weekend when their contest was also cut short.
Settlers were solid throughout in their time at the crease with Jason Morrison and Luke Stanbrook (both 37), Braidyn Turner (27) and Seamus Keogh (24) the main contributors.
Workers Gol Gol got off to a solid start despite the early loss of Shacaya Thomas to be 3-87 when rain intervened – Wade Hancock (39) and Adam Thomson (37 not out) spent some quality time at the crease.
