Sport
10 December, 2024
Incredible contest lands Colts’ final spot
REDPATH TYRE AND BATTERY SERVICE A GRADE COLTS PHELANS 8/170 def BEAUFORT 9/169
An incredible contest at Hedges Oval delivered arguably the best game of the season so far as Colts Phelans booked their spot in the one-day grand final with a tense two-wicket win over Beaufort.
While it was a win-and-you’re-in game, the game was played with all the intensity of a grand final, with both teams throwing absolutely everything towards the cause.
Colts Phelans won the toss and elected to send Beaufort in, with a lush green deck on the Hedges Oval surface.
However, it was Tom Alexander and Joshua Lofts who did all the heavy lifting in the early stages as they were able to get Beaufort off to a good start.
The duo almost got themselves to drinks without loss, but Dayne Baker struck for the first wicket of the day when he bowled Lofts for 20.
After drinks, Baker would have a big wicket, with Alexander tickling a ball to Luke Tatchell behind the stumps for a well-made 42, continuing on his good form after his unbeaten 64 in last week’s representative game.
Colts had got themselves into the game, but there were still a number of dangerous batsmen for Beaufort that they had to negotiate.
Thomas Grant was one of them, but Charlie Scorer was the man for the job, and he got his first wicket of the day, with Grant caught behind by Tatchell for eight.
Kriss Ellis was next to go, with Rhys Wagstaff catching a ball off Scorer for nine.
It would be Ben Evans who would emerge with the key wicket of the day.
Lachlan Oddie looked set to continue his recent good form against Colts, getting to 25, but was caught by Baker off Evans’ bowling.
That set off a chain reaction, with the Crows losing two quick wickets.
Joel Pymer was next to go, tickling an Evans delivery to Tatchell for a duck, while Joe Kingsbury was bowled by Max Jackson.
Suddenly, from 0/75, Beaufort were 7/126.
However, Blake Jantzen and Nick Stabbins combined for some good late hitting, with a crucial 38-run partnership taking them past 160.
Tatchell would have his fourth catch of the innings when Jantzen nicked a Nick Henderson delivery, and Henderson would soon have a second wicket when Stabbins hit a ball straight to Rhys Egan.
Jayden Scotland and Ben Grant finished unbeaten on one and four respectively to take Beaufort to 9/169 off their 40 overs.
Scorer took 2/24 off eight overs, while Baker claimed 2/26, Henderson 2/30 and Evans 2/38.
Colts had changed their batting order, promoting Scorer to open alongside Egan, and the duo put together a 24-run opening partnership, before Kingsbury gave Beaufort their first good look with the ball, with Jantzen catching Egan for 18.
Jackson helped steady the ship for Colts, as he provided the bulk of a 40-run partnership alongside Scorer.
Oddie struck, however, with Jantzen taking a second catch of the innings, removing Scorer for 12.
Soon, Beaufort would have a little sniff.
Jackson was a key wicket for 25, with Jantzen taking his first wicket of the day.
Regan Goundry thwarted Beaufort last time these two teams met, and he threatened to take the game away from the Crows one more time as he provided a 30-run partnership with Wagstaff.
But the Crows would get a good look with two quick wickets.
Jantzen had a second wicket when he and Oddie combined to remove Wagstaff for 12.
Then, Joel Pymer bowled Evans for two, with the score 5/107, and it was game on.
Goundry was the constant, and he was still a thorn in the Crows’ side, combining with Tatchell for a 36-run partnership.
But his dismissal for 32, with Alexander taking his wicket — and Jantzen involved in his fifth wicket of the game with his third catch — sparked life into the game once again.
The Crows were still in the game when Alexander had his second wicket, trapping Harrison Kurzke in front for five, and Pymer had a second wicket when he bowled Kane Shepherd for nought.
It was Tatchell and Baker who were ice cold in the clutch, delivering to help score the 13 runs needed to score an unbelievable victory for Colts, securing a passage back into a final for the first time in 18 months.
For the Crows, Pymer finished with 2/20, while Alexander took 2/23 and Jantzen 2/27.