COHUNA United’s Northern District Cricket Association A Grade finals hopes remain alive after snapping a 10-match losing streak at the weekend.
United’s 46-run win against local rivals, Nondies leaves the side 8.91 points outside the top four with three rounds remaining.
Led by Bradley Griffiths with the bat and Logan Spittal with the ball, United played an all-round match to record only its second victory of the season.
Sent in to bat first, Griffiths (70) stood out at the top of the order, combining with Peter Taylor (31) for a 53-run fifth-wicket stand to help the visitors reach 5/179 off its 45 overs.
Lachlan Holmes and Brandon Keely took two wickets each for Nondies, whose reply began poorly with the early loss of captain, Josh Novoselek.
Harrison Keely (49) and Jack Donat (25) helped steady the innings, but Spittal – who took three wickets – ended the key partnership.
Nondies fell for 133 in the 37th over, with the loss all but ending the club’s hopes of hosting the first semi-final on March 4.
The result means Barham/Koondrook or Wandella will have home-ground advantage in the sudden-death final, but both sides are still battling for the double chance.
The Bombers moved one match closer to taking on defending premiers, Leitchville/Gunbower in the second semi-final, recording a six-wicket win against the border side.
Despite the best efforts of Matt Thomas (65), Barham/Koondrook’s decision to bat first failed to materialise into a competitive option, with the side reaching 8/152 off its 45 overs.
Mick Bott took three wickets for the Bombers in an all-round performance, finishing 33 not out in the home side’s reply of 7/224.
Bott capitalised on the platform built by Greg Dickson (83) and Matt Webb (45), whose 98-run fourth-wicket stand set up the victory.
The Bombers sit second on the ladder, one win behind Leitchville/Gunbower and one victory ahead of Barham/Koondrook.
Race tightens up
LEITCHVILLE/GUNBOWER has moved to within 0.8 points of the Northern District Cricket Association top two following a five-wicket win against Wandella at the weekend.
Three wickets each to Sam Colvin and Josh Hawken helped the hosts dismiss Wandella for 91, with the Bombers losing their last seven wickets for 21 runs.
Shannon Burton gave the visitors a chance of claiming an unlikely win, taking three wickets to leave the composite side struggling at 6/61.
However, a 61-run stand between Blake Gelletly (40) and James Keath (24) secured the win, with Leitchville/Gunbower finishing its 40 overs at 9/152.
The loss saw the Bombers relinquish top spot to Nondies, who produced a 113-run win against Kerang Fairley Town.
Sent in to bat first, seven Nondies batsmen reached double figures as the visitors fell for 177 in the 37th over.
Denis Bacon, Ryan Barnes and Mitchell Lake took two wickets each for the Kerang-based side, which struggled in its reply.
The hosts were dismissed for 64 in the 21st over, with Wade Mathers (four wickets) and Patrick Doyle (three wickets) dominating for the visitors.
In the final match of the round, Barham/Koondrook opened up a 6.81 point gap over Cohuna United in the battle for a first semi-final spot thanks to a 35-run win against the finals challengers.
Winning the toss and electing to bat paid off for the border side, with Wes O’Neill (54) and Cody Storm (26) amassing an 81-run opening wicket stand to help the hosts score 170.
Andrew Brown was the pick of United’s bowlers, thanks to his three wickets.
Riley Hird (29) top-scored for United in its reply of 9/135, with Jesse Mayne and Jade Stewart – who each took three wickets – the key bowlers for the hosts.
