Liam Phillips

NEEDING to chase down 8/288 to earn fourth-place and a spot in the Barossa and Light Cricket Association A1 finals, Nuriootpa bravely fought out the last 20 runs with no wickets in hand as Tanunda’s failure to close it out broke Sandy Creek hearts.
Ultimately, upon recommendation from Cricket Australia, all remaining cricket will be cancelled, but that doesn’t diminish the efforts of sneaking into the top-four in the last round of the season.
Tiger openers Bart Ryan (51) and Luke Steinborner (29) helped build a strong platform, with number-three Daniel Moore (41) pushing the score out to 1/111.
After some quick wickets and needing a big middle-order performance, Mitch Norton came to the crease and knocked 94 from 103 deliveries, including six sixes to set up a tense ending.
After Mitchel Boschen took 6/82, the 10-11 partnership of Craig Burgess (24 not-out) and Greg Henschke (4) survived a nerve-wracking 51 combined deliveries to take Nuriootpa to the finals.

Agony for Cockatoos
Sandy Creek was the unlucky party after easily defending its 8/308 total, with Rhys Handtke 4/33 leading the way with the ball.
Cameron Curnow top-scored for the visiting Mallala with 41, but his side was bowled out for 140 to lose the first innings by 168 runs.
Corey Roberts (2/14) and Jamie Diener (2/32) were the other Cockatoos to take multiple wickets.

No Bull
Gilbert Valley ended the season on a rare high note, winning its first game in the last round after a successful home chase of Freeling 161 target.
Despite winning one out of 14 matches, the Bulls’ Kym Vandeleur finished the season as the fourth-highest run-scorer in the A1 division, and again top scored with 54, while captain James Vandeleur chipped in with a very solid 50 not-out.
The Water Hens’ Brian Montgomery again carried a massive workload, taking 3/60 with six maidens in 24 overs of work, but ultimately went down by four wickets.

Blues win minor premiership
In the clash between the division’s top two sides, Angaston comfortably cruised past South Gawler’s pedestrian total of 107, with Jack Henke (69 not-out) doing the bulk of the work himself.
Williams Earle was damaging for the Lions, taking 4/30 in nine overs, but ultimately his side fell by three wickets while the Blues ended its season in fitting, dominating fashion.