WENDOUREE and Darley could not be separated in a drama-filled Ballarat Cricket Association club firsts tie on Saturday.
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The Red Caps and the Lions finished locked on 153 runs apiece to share the points in an epic one-day encounter at Wendouree. Darley may regard the result as three points gained rather than three points lost after digging itself out of a serious hole.
Austen Prendergast (5-30) and Eamon Johnson (4-20) tore through the visitors to have them reeling at 8-60, before Jake Wilkie (45) and Brad Barnes (37) completed a recovery mission that dragged the Lions to a defendable 153 at the end of 45 overs.
Reigning EJ Cleary Medal winner Matt Cape (6-27) caused havoc for the hosts early in their run chase, seeing them slump to 4-36, before Gavin Webb led a fightback through the middle overs. Webb made 50 to bring his side back into the contest, but when he departed, the Red Caps were 6-125.
Brandon Weatherson and Matt Smith went cheaply and, when Johnson had to retire when his wife Carlee went into labour, the home side had crashed to be 9-143.
It all came down to the last over and the moment intensified when scorers realised Clint Salisbury had already reached his nine-over limit two balls into the 45th over.
This left Wilkie to take the cherry and he snared the wicket of Prendergast when the scores were tied.
“It’s almost a fitting result in a way, but it’s just good to continue on our reasonable form and take points off Wendouree for the first time in a couple of years,” Cape said.
Wendouree remains fifth, while Darley is seventh, seven points adrift of the top four.
Other outcomes:
East Ballarat 2-98 d Coronet City 96 (Waldie 3-7, Hayes 3-11, Shaw 3-30)
Brown Hill 190 (Mapatuna 3-25, Rigby 3-29) d Napoleons-Sebastopol 156 (Mapatuna 52)
Mt Clear 8-215 (Goonan 65) d Ballarat-Redan 114 (Taylor 46, Gunn 4-18)
Golden Point 154 (Ogilvie 68) d North Ballarat 140 (score to be confirmed)