East Gambier fell eight runs short of what would have been one of the biggest heists ever in Barber Shield history against North Sportsman’s after a low-scoring heart-stopper at Marist Park on Saturday.
The One-Day battle was always going to be a special occasion as the Mental Health round and it lived up to expectations being a game to remember.
Both teams were impacted by injuries and isolation with Mitch Lewis standing in for usual Tigers’ skipper Nick McInerney, while the Bulldogs also had contend with three big names out.
North was sent in and struggled to score, registering a below-par 9/110 from its 40 overs.
Despite having a relatively low target to chase, the figure appeared impossible for the visitors to chase down when they slumped to 7/49 at the halfway mark.
All hope looked gone for East with only its tail left, but youngsters Liam Turley, Marc Roberts and Jack Lawrence showed maturity beyond their years to launch a fightback.
A pair of big unlikely partnerships put the red and black on the brink of a heroic victory with the set Turley and Lawrence requiring less than 10 runs to win.
However, it was a young Tiger who would receive all the applause after Isaac Mulraney knocked over the final two wickets in back-to-back balls to snatch victory away from the shattered Bulldogs.
It was a devastating blow for the dogs, while Lewis was a relieved man to hold on in a stressful game as the stand-in skipper.
“It was a very good game to be a part of and kept me thinking,” he said.
“(When East was 7/49) we felt we were pretty close, but we did not want to have any let ups because anything can happen in A Grade and they had some young blokes digging in, keeping out the good balls.
“Isaac was the big positive because we were a bowler short without Nick and he had to bowl eight overs so it was a great opportunity for him.
“He was unbelievable in his first spell and then later in the game we needed two wickets and someone to stand up after Declan Kenny hurt himself.
“So Isaac really wanted it and he got it done.”
Run scoring proved difficult straight away as Matt Bennett removed North’s dangerous openers plus Kenny cheaply inside the first 10 overs.
The stumbling start was a sign of things to come as East’s attack kept the pressure on all day with Alex Hentschke not bringing himself onto bowl until the second half of the innings a sign of his team’s versatility, while only six boundaries were scored across the 40 overs.
Through skilful bowling and fielding the Bulldogs struck at regular intervals with North’s highest partnership yielding 28 for the fourth wicket.
The key driver behind that stand was Elliott Fisher, who was busy at the crease compiling 27, while many of the bigger names came and went,
His brother Harry also chipped in down the order with his quick-fire 16 helping the Tigers avoid being bowled out and power past the 100-run landmark.
With a “below par” score on the board the yellow and black were on the hunt for early scalps.
However, East’s run chase appeared to be on course when a Leigh Von Duve maximum helped the openers knock off close to a quarter of the target.
But soon the first twist arrived when Mulraney and Tim Young tore through the Bulldogs’ big names.
After spinners Elliott Fisher and Michael Johnston also joined the party, East lost 7/25 and looked decimated.
However, the tail rose from the ruins and dug their heels in hoping to pull off the impossible.
Roberts (20) and Lawrence (12) showed great substance keeping out the good balls, but Turley was leading the charge.
Having been the man dismissed in many previous heart-breaking finishes, Turley nudged his way to 27 off 45 balls to be within touching distance of finally pushing his team to a famous win, only to be left standard after Mulraney’s 5/14 saved the day for the Tigers.
