The victory hopes of long time T20 kings South Gambier in the 2021-22 Dycer Constructions Big Bash appear all-but over after a humbling defeat at the hands of Mil Lel.
The Demons were on home turf for their round 2 contest and needed a win to get its campaign back on track, but met a Mil Lel outfit high on confidence.
Mil Lel captain’s Jack Miller’s joy started at the toss when he won the flip of the coin and elected to bat.
However, Miller’s smile was wiped off his face quickly when Jakob Opie knocked him over for a golden duck.
The early breakthrough threatened to derail Mil Lel’s day, but Will Rowland was in an aggressive frame of mind.
The opener stamped his authority by smashing hat-trick of boundaries to complete a crazy opening over.
Rowland’s onslaught continued, while Carey Megaw struggled for timing and was eventually caught off the bowing of Robert Drenthen.
When South captain Cam Jorgensen removed Logan Smith cheaply, the hosts were on top as Mil Lel slumped to three down and an average run rate.
But the momentum swung again when Justin Smith teamed up with the set Rowland.
Smith was the perfect partner rotating the strike, while Rowland targeted the rope.
The pair powered the total from 36 to 80 in just 23 balls to give the visitors some high ground.
Rowland had been the turbo boosting the innings until his swashbuckling 32-ball 53 was finished by Luke Zadow.
Zadow found himself on a hat-trick after making Darcy Williamson the second golden duck of the evening, but could find the magic delivery.
Despite the Demons picking up regular wickets to eat into Mil Lel’s tail, Smith still hung around to irritate Jorgensen.
After almost four overs without a boundary, Smith farmed the strike in the final over to hit two sixes and 17 important runs off Jorgensen in the final set to give the visitors a fighting chance at 8/135.
South would of entered the run chase with some confidence and a steady start from openers Stephen Easterbrook and Drenthen would have raised those levels even higher.
But after compiling 21 runs from as many balls their stand was broken by Gibbs.
Two balls after removing Easterbrook, Gibbs clean bowled Bruce Morale and Mil Lel did not need another invitation to break the game open.
Many of Miller’s bowling changes struck gold as Carey Megaw knocked over Jorgensen and Dan Loupos, while his brother Shannon also tasted some success.
At the 11 over mark the Demons found themselves in the precarious position of 7/51 and needing a miracle.
Adam Kuhl (18) and Jakob Opie (26) offered some resistance, but could not progress at the required rate.
Wickets kept falling and man of the match Rowland finished his top day out with the winning wicket to silence South at 93 all out.
