United’s tail wags the dog
A couple of unlikely heroes steered United to a tense two-wicket win over Palmerston North Boys’ High School in the one-day final at Fitzherbert Park yesterday.
United were in trouble at 163-8 in the 40th over chasing Boys’ High’s total of 227-8, with all their specialist batsmen back in the sheds.
But No 9 Jackson Gattsche and No 10 Matt Ball got them out of a hole to win the game with 1.1 overs to spare.
Gattsche hung in there to score 29 not out from 40 balls, while Ball hit 39 not out from 25 balls, including five crucial fours and the 65-run partnership was a match winner.
United captain Logan Mchardy was rapt with the win.
"That was an absolute nail biter," he said.
It was United’s first win in four seasons, while for Boys’ High, their 20-year one-day title drought continues.
Many in the United camp may have dropped their heads when they lost their eighth wicket, especially with the way the Boys’ High lads had their tails up.
"We knew we were always a chance," Mchardy said. "We backed ourselves to bat right down to 11.
"We stacked our side with batters."
It was a good batting track on Saturday, when United beat Palmerston in the semifinal, and on Sunday.
Balls’ 39 not out was the top score on the United card, which had a few starts, but no major contributions.
Manpreet Singh had scored 34 from 28 in the middle order and Mchardy scored 25.
The Boys’ High spinners put the screws on United through the middle stages, especially Ben O’connor, who took 4-30 and had United’s inning in real strife.
Medium pacer Bryn Wilson grabbed three wickets, taking 3-50, but was the unlucky bowler at the death who Ball hit the winning runs from.
"That was what finals are made of," Mchardy said.
Earlier, in Boys’ High’s innings,trent Mcgrath was their top scorer at No 7, hitting 71 not out from 47 balls, including three sixes and added some important runs at the end.
Floyd Na Nagara added 35 in the middle order too, but there were no major partnerships.
It was the United seam attack that made sure Boys’ High couldn’t post a bit total, with Ball and Nathan Hill taking three wickets each, Phil Mecredy two.
In the semifinal on Saturday, a century from United’s Robbie James set them up for a five-wicket win over Palmerston.
Palmerston batted first on a good wicket and even though there were no major contributions from their top order, they posted 211, all out in the 46th over.
Aakash Shah scored 26, Wezley Masterton 35 and Rob Sheary 22 at the top of the order, but there was not much else until Benn Dixon hit 62 from 61 balls at No 7.
Paceman Matt Ball snared 3-59 for United, while left-arm seamer Phil Mecredy grabbed 2-26 and spinner Hayden Hill took 2-15.
In reply, United cruised to the target, reaching 214-5 in 42.1 overs.
Batting at No 3, James scored 100 from 105 balls, hitting 16 fours and two sixes, before he was out from the bowling of Rob Sheary.
James had done enough though, putting on a partnership of 141 for the second wicket with opener Marcus Emery (32), while Hill scored 37 at No 4.
Carlos Jensen took 2-44 for Palmerston.