Defying an inspired performance from young gun Harry Bayliss, Orange plodded their way to a nervy, two-wicket win over Parkes in Sunday's second round of the Western Zone Premier League, keeping their title hopes alive.
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Thanks to a first-up loss to Bathurst a fortnight ago a much-coveted decider berth hinged on the Bluebaggers winning their four remaining preliminary games and despite Bayliss' five-wicket haul almost denying them, they ticked the first of those boxes at Woodward Oval.
Bayliss snared 5-11 from his 10 overs - five of which were maidens - as the Bluebaggers nicked and nudged their way through chasing 124 for victory, eventually securing the win with two wickets and just three balls to spare.
Outside a 37-run opening stand from Kaleb Cook (13) and Blake Weymouth (20), the Bluebaggers couldn't string together any meaningful partnerships as they lost wickets consistently.
After Cook was lured into a false shot by Bayliss he also bowled Matt Corben (7) and Bailey Ferguson (0), before Jonah Ruzgas (1-19) sent Weymouth back to the pavilion, leaving the Bluebaggers in a bit of strife at 4-51 through 27 overs.
Lachie Coyte remained unwavered at one end and eventually top scored for Orange with 31, but he watched on as Hugh Le Leivre (5) and skipper Ed Morrish (0) were both dismissed without troubling the scorers much.
When Coyte was bowled by Blake Smith (1-20) the Bluebaggers were sitting precariously at 7-104 with just seven overs left, needing 20 to win from the final 42 balls, which became 18 from 30 after two more quiet sets.
But Brent Tucker crucially conceded 10 runs - including five wides - from his seventh over and even though Gus Cumming (14) was dismissed in the 48th over, the pressure valve had been released.
Orange eventually needed just one from the last six balls to win, which Mitch Black (8 not out) duly provided.
Black set up Orange's tougher-than-expected chase with a three-wicket haul earlier, taking 3-28 and helping spark a middle-order collapse as Parkes battled to set the Bluebaggers a sizable target.
With Mitch Cambourn (33) scoring reasonably freely Parkes had worked their way to 2-63 before Morrish (2-19) removed him, before Black snared the scalps of Koby Johnstone (2), Benny Coultas (0) and Shane Jones (13) in the space of three overs.
George Cumming (2-19) picked up the wicket of Jack Murray while Gus Cumming snared Anthony Riach (0) too, leaving Parkes reeling at 8-72.
A late-order rearguard from Blake Smith (22) and Tucker (21), to the tune of 50 runs, pushed the hosts above triple figures though.
Orange will look to continue their run toward the final when they host Dubbo at Wade Park on December 8.
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