In one of the great Orange District Cricket Association Challenge Shield deciders, one filled with swings and roundabouts, Orange City skipper Ed Morrish and Jackson Coote produced a defiant, 55-run, ninth-wicket stand to snatch an incredible title win from the jaws of defeat.
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When the pair came together at 8-152 in reply to Cavaliers' 206 on Sunday afternoon a feeling of inevitability had cascaded over Wade Park but Morrish and Coote ignored that sense of foreboding to defiantly nick and nudge their way ever closer, the tension building with every passing run.
Their rearguard effort looked to be over when Morrish skipped past a big-turning delivery from Cavaliers leg-spinner Ryan Kurtz with 15 to get, but maroons skipper and gloveman Matt Corben uncharacteristically fumbled the stumping opportunity - admittedly, it was a difficult one.
With that stroke of luck Morrish "kicked back into gear" and took control of the chase, he and Coote eventually finishing unbeaten with 58 and 16 respectively as they secured the Warriors' second consecutive premiership.
"I'm just over the moon," Morrish, who also took 3-50 and was crowned player-of-the-final as a result, said.
I'm just so proud of the guys, momentum swung so many times so to get there in the end is just incredible.
- Orange City skipper Ed Morrish
"We lost wickets at the wrong times and in bunches in that chase and when we were [7-126] there was a bit of a feeling that it might be our day, you know, I'm happy to admit that.
"I actually didn't really believe we were back in that game until we got ourselves to 180, 207 didn't look like such a big target from there, and then Corbs missed that stumping
"I definitely didn't think it was our day though, even then, not until we'd knocked off those last [15] runs and I just knew I had to knuckle down and make sure I was the one that got us home.
"Coote did a really great job there at the end too, he's an experienced campaigner and I'm glad I had him out there with me until the end.
"I'm just so proud of the guys, momentum swung so many times so to get there in the end is just incredible."
Those momentum swings came thick and fast throughout the two days.
First it was with the Warriors after Morrish and Brett Causer (2-42) struck early on Saturday's opening day to dismiss Kurtz (7), Kaleb Cook (18) and the maroons' leading run-scorer in Bailey Ferguson (0), leaving the minor premiers in trouble at 3-27.
But Corben and Josh Doherty wrestled it back with hard-fought digs of 60 and 82 respectively, they added a grinding 142 for the fourth wicket and until the former was dismissed late on the first day they'd looked more than capable of taking the game away from Orange City.
Corben's dismissal came from nowhere in a way too, the Warriors had been visibly deflated before Coote, who eventually took 4-45, returned to the attack and snicked Cavaliers' skipper off.
It was the first wicket in a stunning passage of play that, in the last half hour of the opening day, once again swung momentum back in favour of the Warriors and actually rocketed them back into the box seat.
Not long after Mitch Black (4) all but ran Doherty out, calling him through for a single that proved suicidal.
Causer picked up cleanly from cover, released quickly and cleaned up middle stump to leave Doherty stranded halfway down the Wade Park wicket.
After Coote trapped Hugh Middleton (0) in front the very next ball and Morrish bowled Black next over, the maroons had lost 4-8 and were suddenly in strife at 7-177.
That became 8-179 and then 9-182 early on Sunday's second day, before Hudson Izzard (12 not out) and Mark Maybin (10) added what looked a vital 24 for the last wicket.
Black (2-53) and Doherty (2-53) turned the game on its head again early in the Warriors' chase, the former trapping Blake Weymouth (0) in front and the latter bowling Nathan Rosser without scoring too, he shouldered arms.
That left Orange City 2-5 and although Darren Barrett (15) and Shaun Grenfell (79) pushed the score to 49 before Doherty snared the former's scalp, there was no doubt Cavaliers had taken control of the game again.
The Grenfell went ballistic, rocketing his way to 79.
But when he lobbed a rank Kurtz (4-70) full toss straight into Black's waiting hands at deep midwicket that before-mentioned air of inevitability fell over the Wade Park crowd, the dismissal leaving the Warriors' camp stunned in silence.
I'd have loved to have been on the other end of the result but it was pretty special nonetheless, it had everything.
- Cavaliers captain Matt Corben
The Warriors were 5-109 at that stage and that became 6-125, 7-126 and then 8-152 before Morrish and Coote produced their match-winning partnership.
"I don't think I've ever been that nervous on a cricket field. I wasn't really thinking about anything, I couldn't really talk, I felt like I couldn't walk, it was ridiculous really," Coote laughed.
"It was just about trying to work them around. It's a bit of a blur really, it felt like it went by in a flash but more than anything I'm just glad I could help Ed get us over the line.
"But everyone put in and it was a pretty incredible game of cricket. There was times I felt it slipping away and then we'd find a way to get back into it. Saturday afternoon was one, being able to wrestle momentum back there was a pretty big part of the reason we've got over the line."
While he cut a seriously dejected figure Corben was quite diplomatic after the game, one he labelled "pretty special".
"I think you have to consider cricket the winner after a game like that, don't you?," he said with a wry smile.
"Seriously, it was pretty special to be a part of. I'd have loved to have been on the other end of the result but it was pretty special nonetheless, it had everything.
"We showed a lot of fight, we were in a bit of trouble when we started on Sunday morning and I actually thought we had enough in the end but Ed just batted the house down, that was an incredible effort."
While Orange City secured the Challenge Shield they weren't able to achieve their dream of a title sweep. While their second XI also triumphed over Cavaliers the Gladstone and Kinross Blue were good enough to win the third grade and Centenary Cup deciders.
AT A GLANCE ...
ORANGE CITY 8-207 def CAVALIERS 206 by two wickets
ORANGE CITY: Shaun Grenfell 79, Ed Morrish 58 not out, Jackson Coote 16 not out; Coote 4-45, Morrish 3-50, Brett Causer 2-42
CAVALIERS: Josh Doherty 82, Matt Corben 60, Kaleb Cook 18; Ryan Kurtz 4-77, Doherty 2-53, Mitch Black 2-53
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