East Gambier has secured a spot in the 23/24 Dycer Constructions Big Bash semi-final with an impressive win over West Gambier on Thursday night.
Both teams entered the match knowing it was a do or die match and East Gambier chose to bat first after winning the toss.
Ben Hentschke and Harrison Evans got their side off to a quick start, but Hentschke was unable to stick around with Kyal Chapman bowling him for seven.
Evans followed soon after for 15 this time it was Shane De Jong taking the wicket, reducing East to 2/26.
Captain Emerson Marks joined Jake Wight at the crease and the pair combined for a 70 run partnership.
It was Wight who did most of the damage scoring 51 off 26 balls as he smashed six fours and three sixes.
Sam Willis provided the bowling breakthrough, knocking over Wight in the 12th over, before Marks followed the next over bowled on 22 by Justin De Jong.
Alex Hentschke was joined at the crease by Dion Stratford and together the pair saw out the rest of the 20 while adding some important runs along the way.
Hentschke was the more damaging of the pair scoring 43 off 24 balls including five fours and a six.
Stratford managed an important 16 off 16 balls helping East Gambier to a total of 4/160, leaving West a tough run chase.
West Gambier’s run chase started in disaster.
Captain Justin De Jong was bowled first ball of the innings by Alex Hentschke, a massive wicket for East to take early.
The second ball brought another wicket for West Gambier as Marc Roberts ran out Jake Blackwell for a diamond duck.
After a destructive first over West Gambier attempted to stabilise its innings with Jayden Prior and Sam Willis at the crease.
Willis added quick runs for West getting to 38 off 22 balls, however East once again had an important moment in the match with Willis run out in the seventh over.
Prior was out the following over stumped for 18 with Ben Hentschke claiming his first wicket of the day.
Emerson Marks joined the wickettakers the next over and placed the match firmly in East Gambier’s favour.
Jack Geddes was caught LBW on one, while Kyal Chapman was caught for a two ball duck as West found itself in serious trouble at 6/58.
Shane De Jong became the third run out for the innings as West sunk further to 7/79.
East Gambier showed little struggle in cleaning up the tail as West’s innings came to an end in the 17th over with Alex Hentschke taking the final wicket of the match.
West Gambier finished on 115, falling 45 runs short of East Gambier’s total.
East Gambier’s win sent the side to second on the ladder at the end of the season.
The Doggies will now get the chance to go an extra step further than last season if it can overcome Penola in the all or nothing semi final.
