Sport
30 October, 2023
Colts keep T20 hopes intact with thrilling win over Clunes
COLTS PHELANS 3/136 def CLUNES 6/135 There will be four teams fighting it out for one grand final spot, with Colts Phelans taking a seven-wicket win over Clunes at Hedges Oval. With Clunes needing a win to all-but cement their spot in the grand...
COLTS PHELANS 3/136 def CLUNES 6/135
There will be four teams fighting it out for one grand final spot, with Colts Phelans taking a seven-wicket win over Clunes at Hedges Oval.
With Clunes needing a win to all-but cement their spot in the grand final, they’ll now need to rebound against Maryborough next week and rely on Beaufort losing to Laanecoorie Dunolly, as well as Carisbrook losing to Colts Phelans, to make the decider.
Meantime, for Colts Phelans, their quest to the grand final is also alive if they can beat Carisbrook, needing Maryborough to defeat Clunes and Laane to defeat Beaufort.
Clunes won the toss and elected to bat, and it looked like their decision would be vindicated on the first ball when Brenton Jones smacked a four.
But Colts soon brought themselves back into the game by keeping the run rate low, and were rewarded when Nick Henderson took the first wicket, trapping Jones in front for LBW.
Soon, Dave Robinson was in the act, leaving Mark Allen swinging at a ball and collecting middle stump for one.
Lachlan Morganti was looking decent at the crease, striking some good balls, but Dayne Baker won the battle against him to claim Colts’ third wicket, leaving Clunes battling at 3/26.
Much of the innings rested on the bats of Anthony Ellis and Mitch Coppick.
But Baker soon took his second wicket, bowling Ellis for 11.
Coppick was looking good, however, and combined with Jude McGuire, the two were soon able to put on 67 for the fifth wicket.
Coppick was playing an aggressive brand which saw him hit eight fours for the innings, while McGuire was providing steady support in a run-a-ball innings.
Henderson returned to the fold and struck, bowling McGuire for 23.
Coppick would make his 50, while Jaxon Smyth played an entertaining cameo, making 19 runs off eight balls, including two fours and a six, before he was last man out for the innings, with Robinson luring him into playing a shot straight to Harrison Kurzke.
Clunes finished on 6/135, with Robinson bowling well to take 2/12 off his four overs.
With a winnable target, Rhys Wagstaff and Sebastian Borg got to work to try and get a foothold into the game, and were successful in getting early runs, putting together a 44-run partnership before Allen struck with the first wicket, luring Borg into hitting a ball straight to Jones for 18.
However, that brought Robinson out, with the Englishman determined to carry on his good work with the ball.
Meantime, Wagstaff was con-tinuing on what has been a decent season with the bat in the early stages, getting himself to 36 before he was bowled by Allen.
With the score 2/72, there was still plenty on the line as Luke Tatchell came out determined to get back into form.
A third wicket was forthcoming for Clunes, however, with Noah Davies successfully luring Tatchell into nicking a ball to McGuire for eight.
Baker was responsible for getting Colts home however, and played an aggressive captain’s knock, hitting five fours in his innings of 30, while Robinson continued on to finish unbeaten on 36.
Colts made their target with four balls to spare to keep their T20 season alive.
Allen was the Magpies’ best bowler, finishing with figures of 2/27 off his four overs.
