East Gambier has kept its big bash finals hopes alive as it handed North Sportsman’s its first defeat of the season at Marist Park during round four.
With North winning the toss East Gambier was sent in to bat first, and it was a disastrous start with openers Jacob Carger and Harrison Evans both dismissed for a duck within the first seven balls.
Emerson Marks came to the crease and started to get his side moving on the scoreboard, but quickly lost his partner with Isaac Mulraney picking up a second wicket of the day.
North then took the big breakthrough of Marks on 20 with Declan Kenny grabbing his first wicket of the match.
Alex Hill was out the very next over for four, and at 5/31 East Gambier needed a big partnership.
Riley Flamank joined Dion Stratford at the crease and the pair turned the match in East Gambier’s favour.
The pair found the boundary often and caused problems for the North Sportsman’s bowling attack.
Stratford hit back-to-back sixes to close out the 14th over as East Gambier started to look quite comfortable.
Flamank was eventually dismissed in the final over of the innings for 45 off 39 balls, with Connor Little caught the very next ball.
East Gambier finished 7/113 with Dion Stratford 30 not out, and Timothy Young was the pick of the bowlers with 3/12.
Alex Hutton was the first to go for North, only adding three runs before he was caught in the third over.
His opening partner Nicholas Brown followed for eight soon after and at 2/23 the match was wide open.
Elliot Fisher and Harry Fisher built a big partnership as East Gambier struggled to get the breakthrough.
Elliot Fisher led the way as he caused major problems for East Gambier, going past the 50 mark.
Harry Fisher was bowled by Marks in the 14th over for 12 as East Gambier fought its way back into the match.
Marc Roberts delivered a massive moment for his side taking the wicket of Fisher for 66, Mulraney was run out for a seven ball duck later in the over and North began to worry.
With three overs left North had five wickets in hand and only needed 13 runs to win.
Thomas Madigan was run out in the 18th over, and North entered the final over needing just four runs to win.
A single followed by four dots meant the match went down to the final ball with Kenny needing to hit Liam Turley for three runs to win the match for his side.
Kenny only managed a single as East Gambier completed its great escape with Turley’s final over winning his side the match.
East Gambier now sits one win behind top placed North Sportsman’s heading into the last round before finals.
