In the fight to avoid a winless run to the wooden spoon, South Gambier emerged victorious as things continued to go against Millicent in their final game of the 2021/22 Dycer Constructions Big Bash.
The fixture was originally scheduled to be played at Blue Lake Sports Park, but was shifted to Frew Park at the last possible moment after the Demons’ home ground was declared not fit for play.
The switch to neutral turf gave Millicent the incentive to attack in the early stages after winning the toss and having a bat.
Openers Jacob Carger and Sam Kent took an over to get going, but were quickly flying at more than a run-a-ball to give the visitors a brilliant launching pad.
To make matters worse for the Demons they were doing themselves no favours in the field.
In a single Stephen Easterbrook over a run out chance was butchered, a skyball was dropped at cover and to top it all off Kent struck a six over the fence.
However, Easterbrook responded in his following over only conceding a single as the Demons managed to restrain the early onslaught.
The spin bowler broke the 66-run opening stand after Sims stumped Kent on 39, while Carger followed his opening partner back to the pavilion in the following over.
The double strike was the opportunity South needed to get back in the game as the bowlers slowly turned the screws.
A quick-fire 25 from Zach Jones proved to be against the grain with the Demons chipping away in the second half of the innings.
Fine spells from Easterbrook, Robert Drenthen and kept Millicent to a relatively low score of 7/128, while it may have struggled to reach the six-an-over threshold if Bruce Morale’s first over with the ball did not concede 17 runs.
Despite being forced to defend only 129, Millicent skipper Wight gave his men a fighting chance with a fiery new-ball spell.
The captain clean bowled Drenthen before a smart piece of captaincy caught out Easterbrook which gave the travelling team a fighting chance at 2/18.
However, the double strike brought Dan Loupos to the crease and he was determined to get his team over the line.
He built a nerve-settling stand alongside Jakob Opie, who showed his intentions hitting a six off his second ball.
After pushing the team almost to the halfway line, Opie perished to Kent, but the Demons’ confidence just kept growing.
Loupos hit Kent out of the attack smashing a quartet of consecutive fours, while Morale had some fun smashing some home runs over the fence.
Although Morale fell just short of the finish line being bowled for an entertaining 19, Loupos eased South home remaining unbeaten on 49.
Winning with six wickets and five overs in hand, the triumph gave the Demons something to celebrate in a disappointing campaign, while Millicent was forced to ponder what could have been.
