GAWLER Central ended Angaston’s Barossa and Light Cricket Association A1-reserves finals hopes after an extraordinary run chase saw the winning side reach its target in the match’s final balls.
Chasing 256, the Tigers’ first three batsmen out of the shed scored 15, 15 and 14, with the Blues’ Riley Leggett taking all three wickets on his way to figures of 6/43.
Stewart Brading came to the crease at number-six to support Alistair Crothers (30), and provided the match winning knock, putting up 105 runs from 158 deliveries.
Brading carried the side on his back from 8/174, all the way through to his dismissal at 9/251, leaving a nervous 10-11 partnership of Jarryd Fisher (22) and Luke King (1) to finish the job in the match’s final over.
Lyndoch made short work of Greenock’s 143 target, cruising through on the back of confident performances from Matthew Robinson (49), Shaun Golding (42 not-out) and Nathan Goulding (36).
No Greenock bowler made a significant impression as the visitors went home early with a six-wicket win.
Light Pass all-rounder Danny Kaye backed up his monster workload with the ball (2/56, 13 maidens from 31 overs), scoring 91 with 12 boundaries at Kapunda Oval.
Defending 8/194, Kapunda’s Danny Menzel took 4/35 from his 16 overs, while Lachlan Mickan took 3/55, but they were the only home players to take wickets.
Visiting captain Trae McArthur supported Kaye well with 41 runs, but it was Simon Davies (22 not-out) and Brian Norman (18 not-out) who provided the winning partnership, with Light Pass taking a three-wicket win.
Eudunda-Robertstown easily defended its 261 total at home against Willaston, dismissing the visitors for 130, taking a 131-run win.
Willaston captain Jamie Quirk top-scored with 43, but Michael Zerner (3/25) and Jack Mosey (3/32) consistently broke partnerships and snuffed out any potential dangers.
In A2, Sandy Creek, defending 266, demolished Gawler Central but narrowly avoided taking an outright win, dismissing the visitors for 60 and reaching stumps at 6/134 after enforcing the follow-on.
In A4, Greenock and Freeling played off for fourth-place with two rounds remaining, with the former defending its home wicket with a three-wicket win.
In A5, Tanunda opener Luke Snowden scored an even 100 in his side’s one-day, 60-run win at home against Kapunda.
In the juniors, the two best batting performances from the under-17s came from Nuriootpa/Light Pass’ Markus Mader (83*) and Greenock’s Hayden Schiller (82*).