PAINE GUIDES LIONS TO T20 TITLE

A BIG opening-wicket partnership between Tim Paine and Sam Harbinson proved the difference as University capped an unbeaten CTPL T20 campaign with victory over Lindisfarne in Tuesday night’s final at Blundstone Arena.

The Lightning won the toss and elected to bowl, but it was a decision they would soon regret as former Test skipper Paine (63 off 43 balls) and Harbinson (41 off 34) combined for a 114run partnership in rapid fashion.

Some fine bowling from Jarrod Freeman (3-17) through the middle of University’s innings helped Lindisfarne restrict the Lions to 6-173, when it looked at one point they’d be chasing 200-plus.

Lindisfarne’s in-form No.3 Charlie Wakim (68 not out off 41) tried valiantly to drag his team over the line, but the run out of Freeman (19 off 14 balls) when they were 3-104, and a fine penultimate over from Tim Oakley (2-23) where he took two wickets and conceded just one run, proved enough for the Lions to restrict Lindisfarne to 7-161.

Lindisfarne’s only loss of the campaign was in round one against University, and Lions coach Damien Wright said Harbinson and Paine eased their nerves immediately.

“I thought Tim and Sam were unbelievable. They’ve both been really pivotal in our campaign and to do it again in the final was fantastic,” he said.

“We’ve wanted to get off to a really good start and be pretty aggressive, and Painey has been the one to take it on at the start and Sam’s been able to play a supporting role.

“Painey’s innings was class, he got us off to such a great start and to be 0-100 or so after ten overs was awesome.

“We probably did lose our way a little bit through the middle overs, but I thought Jarrod Freeman bowled terrific for Lindisfarne.

“Zac Phair at the end played a nice little cameo (14 off five balls) and got us to 174, which in the end was enough.”

Wright said Lindisfarne pushed them all the way, but in the end they won enough of the big moments.

“Lindisfarne are a super team, they know how to win premierships,” he said.