Sale-Maffra has defeated Bairnsdale in their under 18 Gippsland Cricket League fixture at the Lucknow Recreation Reserve on Sunday, with just three balls remaining.
Bairnsdale batted first and were bowled out in the 37th over for 153, disappointingly six players got into double fixtures, but none could dominate the bowlers, with vice captain Harvey Abraham top scoring with 29.
Sale Maffra spinners, Tom Young (4/17) and Blake Rowley (3/28) stemmed the run rate in the middle of the innings and picking up vital wickets when it looked like Bairnsdale might rally late.
In reply, Sale Maffra needed every one of their 40 overs to get the total as they lost constant wickets in the run chase.
At 9/145 with two overs remaining, Bairnsdale looked set to steal victory, but Sale-Maffra batsmen Tom Young (28) and Nick Walker (6) held their nerve, taking seven runs off the first four balls of the final over to cease victory.
Earlier Thomas Boyd (36) and Xavier Hurley (21) had made valuable contributions, with the wickets shared between Abraham (2/13), Harry Forbes (3/23) and Zayn Smith (2/8).
The under 18s next match will be against Latrobe Valley at the Toongabbie Recreation Reserve on December 15.
No play was possible due to inclement weather in the senior match between Bairnsdale and Latrobe Valley at Terry Hunter Reserve in Traralgon, the associations splitting the points.
The next senior match will be against Warragul on January 25, with the next under 15 fixture, opposing Bairnsdale to Latrobe Valley on December 22 at Bullumwaal Road.
The under 13s next match will also be against Latrobe on December 15 at Cameron White Oval.
