Cavaliers are one step closer to their Orange District Cricket Association title defence after stifling a huge fightback from CYMS in last weekend’s preliminary final to seal a tense one-wicket victory at Wade Park.
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Little more than an hour into Sunday’s second day, with skipper Matt Corben set and unbeaten on 56, Cavaliers looked home and hosed at 3-124 in reply to CYMS’ 155.
Then Corben was caught behind.
His dismissal sparked a huge collapse to the tune of 6-30, which left Cavaliers needing one to tie and two to win with only a single wicket in hand – having finished second, Cavaliers only needed to tie to progress.
But young No.11 Hugh Middleton maintained his composure, crunching a cut shot through point to secure first innings points.
With 53 overs, minimum, remaining in the day CYMS attempted the unlikely but slumped to 5-39 when stumps were pulled.
“It was a little bit too close for comfort, that’s probably the most nervous I’ve ever been in a cricket game,” Corben laughed, his side will face minor premiers Orange City in next weekend’s decider.
“Hughy can bat, but I’m not sure you can ever be too confident when you’re nine down, you’ve lost [6-30] and it’s that close because it is a pretty funny game, things can happen, like we saw.
“But he did a top job, he just backs himself and got us over the line.”
Although CYMS roared back into the box seat during that stunning stint, sparked by Ben McAlpine (4-20) then led by Jarrod Urza (3-20) and Chris Novak (3-32), the most crucial moment actually fell in Cavaliers’ favour.
With the maroons 8-142 and danger man Brad Wright yet to get going, Urza produced a peach which beat Cavaliers’ veteran spinner all ends up and clean bowled him.
But he’d overstepped the mark, Wright went on to make a crucial 22 and was still at the other end when Middleton slashed the winning boundary.
“We still needed 14 to win when that happened, so no, we didn’t think we were home at all,” Corben said.
“That was a big moment,” CYMS skipper Hamish Finlayson said.
“You know, that’s not a no ball and we probably go on and win from there, but it’s just one of those funny things that happen in cricket and unfortunately it didn’t go our way.
“It’s disappointing to lose, to come so close, but at the same time it’s kind of a good feeling too because I’m really proud of the effort the boys put in.
“We hadn’t had a great season and based on that there probably wasn’t too much expectation put on us, but we gave it a real shake.”
Finlayson won Saturday’s toss and batted first, a decision which looked the wrong one after CYMS slumped to 3-31 then 4-34.
But, although wickets continued to fall regularly, Tom Belmonte continued his good form and kept it ticking over from one end on his way to 68, he averaged 40 across his last five digs this summer.
Urza added a crucial 25 at the end too, to lift CYMS to 155.
Josh Doherty was Cavaliers’ best with the ball, taking 4-58 from 16 overs while leg-spinner Ryan Kurtz snared 3-40 as well.
Corben and Kurtz (25) put on 41 to start Cavaliers’ chase well, before the former was caught behind off McAlpine, who then took the huge wicket of Doherty (1) just four runs later.
After Chris Brown (3) came and went Corben and Bailey Ferguson (33) added 63 for the fourth wicket, before the maroons’ skipper fell in McAlpine’s 20th over.
It was just a little bit too close for comfort, that’s probably the most nervous I’ve ever been in a cricket game.
- Cavaliers skipper Matt Corben
In the blink of eye Ferguson, Wes Lummis (4), Hudson Izzard (0) and Harry Pearce (1) were gone too, to leave Cavaliers 4-140.
Mark Maybin (0) joined Wright at the crease and helped him add 14 before being caught with his side trailing by just one run, but Middleton made sure the job was done.
CYMS went out to bat again in Twenty20 mode, but Pearce snared 3-21 as they slumped to 5-39 – 21 of which Belmonte added.
“Tommy Belmonte batted really, really well in their first innings,” Corben said.
“I think the difference in the game was that no one really backed him up and supported him, whereas Bailey and I put together a decent partnership through the middle of our innings.
“It was a good win, and I’ve got all the confidence in the boys next week.”
“Belmo was unbelievable, has been for a while now,” Finlayson said, echoing Corben’s sentiments.
“He deserves a big rap, his innings was really mature and was the main reason we even got to a competitive score.
“Benny McAlpine was just magnificent with the ball, Jarrod Urza too. We had to have a crack at the end there, in a second innings, we just couldn’t get the job done unfortunately.”