THE Tyrell Cricket Swans have turned the McDonald’s Swan Hill T20 competition on its head, stunning the undefeated WDEA Works Saints by six runs in their round 5 match.
Signs of improvement had been showing all year for the Swans but, after their poor previous week, nobody expected them to defeat the competition favourites.
It is now likely the Saints will have to play a virtual preliminary final against Woorinen in the last round of the T20 season this weekend.
Winning the toss and choosing to bat first on a road, the Swans posted a par total of 7/131 from their 20 overs.
Alan Hatcher (19) got the Swans off to a good start before some horrendous mix-ups and brain fades cost Lachlan Edwards (6) and Jake Hatcher (1) their wickets.
Sitting at 3/35 and with Robin Sebastian (1/11 from four overs) bowling a tight line, it was hard to see the result panning out the way it did.
Cal Noonan (31) stepped up for the Swans and played an anchor role throughout the innings, but it was the power hitting of Andrew Clark that proved the difference.
Clark clobbered 35 off 24 balls, including three sixes, to swing the momentum the Swans’ way.
In reply, several Saints batsmen got starts but were unable to go on.
Riley Daniels top-scored with 28, but the top four in the Saints’ order all scored between 11 and 18.
Clark, underdone and bowling off five steps, was again the hero, snagging 4/22.
Bombers v Swans round 4
THE win against the Saints culminated the perfect day for the Swans after a handy win over Autopro Wandella by 27 runs.
The Swans look a very dangerous side when their opening partnership of Alan Hatcher (38) and Edwards gets firing.
The pair had put on 61 when Hatcher departed after a good catch by Ethan McKnight.
Edwards took the reins from that point. The out-of-form keeper-batsman finally hit his stride with a well-compiled 66.
Edwards was partnered by Noonan (20) before the Bombers were able to peg back the Swans in the last five overs, restricting the Swans to 5/141.
Skipper Ryan Barnes was best with the ball, taking 2/24.
For the Bombers, missing regular captain and star batsman Gregory Dickson, it was always going to be a tough chase.
They lost Laine Gibbons (10) and Daniel Higgs (9) early before Patrick Oliver (51) and Michael Runciman (15) restored order for the Bombers to have themselves 2/84 and ready to launch.
But Hatcher (2/16) turned the game back in the Swans’ favour with two quick wickets.
The win gave the Swans a hope of making the T20 final, but a lot would have to fall their way.
The Bombers’ T20 campaign is over and they head into a couple of dead rubbers against the Tigers and Blues next weekend.
Blues v Tigers round 4
THE Pizza Kitchen Tigers continued their undefeated T20 season in their first contest of the afternoon against the Phones R Us Blues.
Doing what they do best, the Tigers chased down the Blues’ total of 147 with 14 balls to spare.
Cooper Fox continued his superb form, smashing 58 in a 77-run opening stand with Jason Mangiameli.
Blues skipper Ben Hallam was his side’s only bowler to cut through, snaring all three of his side’s wickets.
After that big opening stand, the Tigers lost 3/15 before Mitchell Uhlhorn (32) and Darren Rushton (31) guided them over the line.
In the first innings, Hallam began his day out with a patient 56 not out.
All Blues batters got starts, with Ryan Hinton (26), Stuart Patterson (31) and Brenton Caldwell (13 not out) giving their side what would be a great total against most sides.
Demons v Roos round 4
BEVERFORD Tavern made it three wins on the trot and delivered the final nail in the coffin of the Stihl Shop Roodogs’ T20 season.
Sending the Demons into bat first proved to be the wrong decision as the elite opening pairing of Joel Walsh and Charlie Boulton put the Roos bowlers to the sword.
After a tough opening to the season with the bat, Walsh hit his way back into form with 44 off 23 deliveries.
His opening stand with Boulton, who played the anchor role with a run-a-ball 53, totalled 79.
After Boulton’s dismissal with the score at 119, the Demons meandered to a total of 146, with Jordan King (1/15 off 4.0) the pick of the bowlers.
In reply, the Roos batted too slowly, their top three all scoring over 20 but at an average strike rate.
While it kept them in the contest, they never really challenged the Demons.
Demons spinner Cooper Andrews picked up two wickets in his return to the side after missing the previous week.
Demons v Tigers round 5
THE big test for the Demons was in their second match, against the undefeated Tigers.
But the Demons put in a commanding performance to hand the Tigers their first loss of the season.
It was a terrific bowling performance from the men in red, who picked up regular wickets as the Tigers’ top order, besides opener Mangiameli (27), faltered.
Walsh (2/15), skipper Ben Shadbolt 2/26 and Andrews (3/29) were all high class with the ball.
The total would have been far less if not for Gurmander Singh in the middle order.
Singh struck 33 from 21 balls help the Tigers reach 9/127.
Singh’s good start with the ball, removing in-form opener Boulton (2) also gave the Tigers some hope.
That flicker of hope was quickly doused when Walsh put on a show, hitting the Tigers to all parts of Woorinen Recreation Reserve with a 31- ball innings of 82 not out.
Shane Fleming (24) played the support role as the Demons reached the target midway through the innings with eight wickets to spare.
With a bye in the final round, a Demons win against the Blues this Saturday will secure their spot in the final.
Roos v Bombers round 5
THE Bombers bounced back from their loss to the Swans with a nail-biting three-wicket win over the Roos.
Set a target of 104, the Bombers chased it down with two balls to spare.
Needing four to win off the final over, Kyle Hodges (18) struck a pair of twos to guide his side over the line.
The Bombers were sailing smoothly at one stage, with Runciman (35) and Luke Murray (14) guiding them to 1/71.
But all hell broke loose at that point, with the Roos taking 5/9 to turn the contest on its head.
King (3/8 from four overs) was again exceptional with the ball but was partnered well by Josh Waldron (2/22).
It wasn’t enough for the Roos, however, who will be ruing their below-par total of 103.
In a terrible start with the bat, the Roos were 3/6, with Barnes (2/22) and Bohden McKnight (1/23) decimating the top order.
Kade Benfield (17) provided some resistance at second drop, but it was up to King (31) to post a total.
Ethan McKnight bowled well through the middle order, getting a haul of 3/16 from his four overs.
