The South East representative team was back where it belongs in the thick of the fight for the Senior Country Cup following a stunning run to the final in Adelaide last 
week.

Despite captain Nick McInerney and coach Kieran Ashby leading a strong squad into battle, South East’s usually high stocks were low in the competition, which featured the best country cricketers from around the state following last summer’s winless effort.

Fortunately, this summer’s side brought its A game and went on a charge all the way to the final where it fell just short of the ultimate glory.

The new-look South East team made its intensions clear from the moment it first graced the turf in the opening round.

Yorke Peninsula thought it held the early advantage by batting first, but the game was blown open by express East Gambier Bulldog Alex Hentschke, who blew up the stumps of both openers in his first two overs.

It left Yorke Peninsula in the nightmare position of 2/1 and the side was never able to escape South East’s pressure.

Wickets fell at regular intervals as the Limestone Coast quicks shared the fun with Tim Young, Michael Waters, Declan Kenny and McInerney all getting involved.

Some late hitting from Jack Davies (29) helped Yorke Peninsula gain some respectability from 7/42.

However, it was too little too late after McInerney cleaned up the tail to finish the demolition job at 79 all out.

The meagre target was never enough to challenge the South East top order, but the run chase was not without its hiccups.

As Connor Prior got himself established and knocked off almost a third of the required runs inside the first eight overs, his opening partner Will Rowland had a much tougher time scratching out three runs off his 24 balls until he was clean bowled, while Mark Smith was also trapped lbw for a Golden Globe.

Despite a couple cheap scores, Prior (38*), Jake Blackwell (22) and McInerney (11*) all spent some valuable time at the crease to easily chase down the runs with seven wickets and 181 balls remaining.

On a high from a crushing opener, South East carried all of the confidence in the world into its next battle against one of last summer’s top performing teams Eyre Peninsula.

Playing on a true Glenelg Oval surface, South East enjoyed first use and Prior and Rowland eased the nerves.

The pair scored at a good clip posting 65 runs for the first wicket to provide a terrific platform.

After Rowland (24) and Prior (37) eventually departed, Blackwell took over to keep the runs ticking with the help of Smith and Jacob Carger.

Blackwell’s craftsmen-like knock of 45 was the shining light after South East was eventually restricted to 9/211 with the bowling of Charles Williams proven tricky to keep out.

Captain McInerney was also glad to have all of those runs on the board after Harry Degner and Louis Green caused him plenty of headaches in Eyre Peninsula’s rocketing start.

The openers looked solid on their way to a stand of 85 until Mitchell Douglas ran out Degner at a critical time.

The breakthrough gave South East an opportunity to attack the fresh batters and it worked following some big efforts from McInerney and Elliott Fisher with the ball.

But Green remained dangerous and cruised past his half century until some Declan Kenny magic in the field stopped the opener in his tracks.

Following the fall of Green, Eyre Peninsula had little left and crumbled, being bowled out for 173 after once being in the stable position of 1/106.

Once again it was a team effort with the ball led by Carger’s 3/36, while McInerney and Waters both picked up two poles.

Two wins from two setup a winner-takes-all battle against Fleurieu and Districts for a spot in the Country Cup final and the contest well and truly delivered.

McInerney won the toss and sent the opposition in, but was forced to toil for the first victim.

Fleurieu’s opening bats took the shine off the new Kookaburra and started to frustrate the South East bowlers with the total nearing 50 without a wicket.

After an hour of pain, Penola pacer Waters got the breakthrough which opened the door for the Limestone Coast team to get back in the game.

Tigers’ teammates McInerney and Elliott Fisher teamed up well to eat through the middle order, while Hentschke cleaned up the tale.

Despite the steady stream of wickets, number-three bat Jeremy Hackett was an immovable object and finished unbeaten on 67 to push Fleurieu’s total to 164.

Boosted by the inclusion of former North and current Brighton batter Matt McInerney, South East’s pursuit started well.

He and Prior collected 47 runs, but both fell when they looking set as the opposition made its move.

After looking stable at the halfway mark with seven wickets in hand, South East stumbled and lost 4/21 to suddenly be searching for a miracle.

But the Nick McInerney was still standing and the captain was committed to getting his men over the line.

Despite watching the opposition chip away at the other end, Nick McInerney scored critical runs alongside Douglas and Declan Kenny to creep towards the finish line.

When Kenny fell, a classic was unfolding with number 11 Waters arriving at the crease with five runs to win.

Having pulled his team to the brink off his own bat, Nick McInerney kept his composure and finished the job when Waters clipped a three to seal the deal by a single wicket.

The incredible win kept South East’s dream of getting its hands back on the Country Cup alive and Nick McInerney led his men onto the beautiful playing surface of Karen Rolton Oval in the decider against Northern.

South East drew first blood, winning the toss and electing to bat on the traditionally flat pitch and looked set for a big total after good work from Prior, Matt McInerney and Blackwell placed the team in the position of strength at 2/108.

But soon the relentless pressure of the Northern attack fronted by Roby McDonald mounted and continually chipped away at the South East batting order.

Seven of the top eight batters reached double figures getting starts, but none could kick on and build the critical score to provide the backbone of the innings.

Matt McInerney and Blackwell motored into the thirties before playing false strokes, while Hentschke fought until the end before running out of partners.

Eventually South East’s innings full of promise was finished in the 45th over for a competitive, but under-par 207.

An early wicket to Tim Young breathed life into the Limestone Coast team until McInerney’s men were silenced by a chain of consistent partnerships.

The run chase followed a similar story to South East’s innings with the top seven all reaching double figures, but the difference was Zach Fielding was able to convert his start into a match-winning 76.

Despite the best efforts of Hentschke and Fisher with the ball, South East could not stop Northern from collecting the Country Cup by five wickets.