“We’re there, but we don’t deserve to be”.
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That’s CYMS stand-in skipper Pete Gott’s frank assessment after his troops sneaked into the Orange District Cricket Association finals by the skin of their teeth, despite dropping last weekend’s final round to a fast-finishing Kinross outfit.
CYMS held a 6.72-point lead over Kinross heading into the game and the students went agonisingly close to making up the deficit and jumping into third to secure an unlikely finals appearance.
After Fletcher Rose’s hard-hitting 90 led Kinross to 233 on Saturday – which also happened to be his 18th birthday – the equation was simple.
Assuming Orange City would go on to defeat Centrals, which they did, to jump up to third Kinross needed to win by bowling CYMS out for 161 or less, ensuring maximum bonus points.
The students did bowl the green and golds out, for 185, as a result CYMS claimed third spot by just 0.24 points.
“Where Kinross beat us was just enthusiasm in the field. They were upbeat, we were flat and our body language wasn’t good. We want to play in the finals, but the way we looked in the field you wouldn’t think that,” Gott said.
“We’re there, but we don’t deserve to be based on that performance.
“Based on that game Kinross definitely deserves to be in that third spot but we’ll take it. We just need to improve, a lot.”
CYMS will welcome a couple of players back into their side before next weekend’s preliminary final with Cavaliers but, as Gott explained, it was actually the regular second graders who were his side’s best against the students.
Jarrod Urza finished with stunning figures of 7-50 and Adam Smith made a composed 49 under mountains of pressure, bettered only by Tom Belmonte’s 53.
“They did a great job. Jarrod bowled beautifully, he’s a regular second grader but is more than good enough to be up in firsts and Smithy was great too,” Gott said.
“We’ll get a few guys back, not as many as we’d like, but these guys deserve a lot of credit for their efforts.”
Gott lauded Rose’s man-of-the-match performance, labelling Kinross’ skipper “the difference”.
“He was the difference between the two sides. He batted really well, even though we dropped him on zero, and then bowled fast and straight on the Sunday to pick up a couple of wickets,” Gott said, Rose finished with 2-33 from 14 overs.
Rose batted at four and came to the crease at 2-15, adding 46 with Steve Geyer (41) and then another 122 with Stu Crisp (52), before being dismissed himself with the score at 215.
CYMS lost Tom West (2) late on day one, finishing 1-30 at stumps.
We’re there, but we don’t deserve to be based on that performance.
- CYMS stand-in skipper Pete Gott
Mick Hannelly (7) fell early on day two, before Belmonte and Gavin Bridge (12) set about steadying the ship. They added 32 before the latter fell to Rose, Kinross’ skipper trapped Andrew Henry (0) in front in his next over as well to leave CYMS 4-62.
Belmonte and Smith pushed the score to 110 before the former fell.
Smith and Ed Wright (24) added 37 and looked a chance of pulling off the unlikely chase at 5-147, then the former was trapped in front by Ed Dodds (2-11).
Wright and Urza (9) added another 28, before both falling a lower-order collapse to the tune of 4-10.
“There was a few times there where we still really backed ourselves late in the piece,” Gott said.
“We put together a few partnerships and we thought there was a real chance, but Kinross bowled well and got the job done.”
CYMS’ stand-in skipper says he remains confident his side, which has now lost its last three games, can turn its fortunes around in the preliminary final.
“I think you have to be confident,” he said.
“We have a lot of talent around the group we just need to put it together, particularly in the field.”
AT A GLANCE
Kinross 233 (Fletcher Rose 90, Stu Crisp 52, Steve Geyer 41; Jarrod Urza 7-50, Chris Novak 1-39, Mick Hannelly 1-0) defeated CYMS 185 (Tom Belmonte 53, Adam Smith 49, Ed Wright 24; Angus Cumming 3-33, Fletcher Rose 2-33, Harry May 2-11) by 48 runs