Tight tussels produce grand final rematch

THE MONARO District Cricket Assoication A-Grade competition saw two semi-finals played over the weekend with close results between the top four sides. Rhythm batted first on a good day for cricket with John Connors oval in good condition. Rhythm’s Aqib Abassi started well playing a more controlled innings than he had done throughout the year. The key wicket of Craig Willsmer in the fourth over brought Luke Treadwell to the crease who saw off the opening spells of Luke Saare and Simon Partell before a mix up in the middle caused a run out. A few overs later Abassi fell LBW to the bowling of Liam Robinson and wickets regularly fell from there. Inidu Nemasha top scored for Rhythm with an excellent innings scoring 39 runs to all parts of the ground. Five ducks filled the lower order and Rhythm were all out for 91 after 29 overs. Chad Stevens bowled well picking up 5/8 off his seven overs. Jindabyne started well under the watchful eyes of David Oxley and Archie Bachus 0/29 after nine overs. In the tenth over things took a turn with Abassi claiming the wicket of Oxley for 14. In the Next over Kel McNab produced some excellent cricket removing Lucas Rixon for 1, and Dave Tickell for 0, in as many deliveries. McNab continued to bowl well producing the best 8 overs he had all year claiming another important wicket of Bachus for 13 finishing with figures of 3/14 off eight overs. Issac Dawson batted well for 16 before he fell to the spin of Nemasha, the score 5/55 37 runs required for victory. With still work to do Jindabyne lent on the steady experienced hands of Callan Andrews 17* and Simon Partell 20* who guided the Tigers home and into another grand final. A thrilling contest played out in the second semi with Coffey’s Hotel and Dalgety finishing their encounter with a tie. Players and spectators form both sides, some with decades’ of cricket under their belts, described the match as one of the best they have seen. In a tense finish, Dalgety chasing 146 for victory, required two off the last ball of the match to progress through the grand final. John Stanford had the unenviable task for Dalgety to strike the winning runs while Coffey’s fortunes were in the hands of bowler James Ewart. Stanford was struck on the pad with the ball ballooning out to cover, where Coffey’s captain Nick Moon stopped a second run. Dalgety and Coffey’s both finished on 145-runs for a rare tie. Coffey’s will feature in the Monaro cricket grand final through finishing the season higher on the ladder, as minor premiers. Dalgety’s first finals appearance in 2015 will be one to remember despite the loss with many of their younger players showing their class. Batting first, Coffey’s top order fell to Aaron Fenton who collected three wickets. With Coffey’s in trouble at 4/20, Moon and Nathan Thompson batted for the majority of the innings to take their side to 100 before Thompson was run out for 44. Moon anchored the innings well, finishing on 54 as Coffey’s posted 145. In their run chase, Dalgety got off to a cautious start through patient batting from Kale Ross and Ned Williams. Kye Harrison trapped Ross in front before Steve Summerville picked up Iain Elliot and Williams in a brilliant spell of 3/22 off eight overs. Damien Roach bowled with great control as did Harrison. Simon Freebody lifted the scoring while three quick wickets fell around him, off the bowling of Thompson, 3/22 off six overs. Nolan Holland played an excellent late innings cameo of 25 to take Dalgety within 11 runs needed off the final over. Stanford and Holland ran well to leave the side needing two off the final ball. With the field brought in, only a single could be mustered. Both sides commented after the match on its quality and the spirit in which it was played.

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