An unbeaten 111 from Waimate teenager Glen Drake has spurred his side to a last-ball, four-wicket outright win over Roncalli, in the senior two-day cricket competition.
The 16-year-old struck 14 fours and five sixes in the 82-ball innings.
The match appeared to be petering to a draw with 10 overs to go, with Waimate showing no interest in chasing the 10 runs an over required.
CAPTAIN'S KNOCK: A much-needed 32 from Star captain Phil McGregor helped Star to a come-from-behind five-wicket win over Timaru, at Ashbury Park, in senior two-day cricket.
In the other matches; Star turned around a first-innings deficit to beat Timaru by five wickets, also at Ashbury Park, while a stubborn 89 from Temuka’s Kevin Teahen meant Celtic had to be happy with first-innings points, in their drawn match, at Temuka Oval.
Some strange field-settings from Roncalli, including an over where they had nine fielders behind the bat, gave Drake confidence to attack in the final few overs, and he did not look back, striking a boundary off the final ball, for victory.
Earlier in the day, Waimate had gained a 15-run, first-innings lead, after lusty hitting from Nathan Sheppard saw them score 48 from their six remaining first-innings overs.
Roncalli’s second innings was a measured one, but they suffered from a constant lack of wickets.
Another half century from Bruce Carlaw, who made 62, and small contributions from Ben Simpson, 20, Andy Brooks, 20, Jacob Naylor, 19 and Grant Watt, 18, saw them set a target of 173 for Waimate to win.
Waimate shared the wickets around, with Matthew Sew Hoy, Matt Devlin and Murray Prattley snaring two-a-piece.
Waimate lost wickets early, in reply, but with only 34 overs to see out, they were unlikely to be bowled out.
The stroke play of Drake was the difference between the sides.
Needing three runs from the final ball, Drake calmly struck a cover-drive to the boundary between the two boundary fielders.
Waimate captain Jason Sew Hoy said the win was one of the best he had ever been a part of.
“It was amazing. I just told [Drake] to go out there and play his natural game, and we just got closer and closer.”
After gaining first innings points on the first day, Timaru’s batting deserted them on the second, as they were rolled for just 60 in their second innings.
Star’s Craig Hinton got his second five-wicket-bag of the game, finishing with match figures of 10 for 77.
A 75 run-lead, meant Star needed 136 to win from 48 overs.
Despite the early loss of two wickets, a 74-run partnership between captain Phil McGregor, who made 32, and Danny Campbell, who stroked 49, gave them the momentum the needed to cruise to the target.
McGregor said it was a better team performance on the second day.
“It was a much better performance from the guys.
“We held more catches, because I think we dropped six or seven last week.
“The key [to the run-chase] was partnerships, and fortunately we were able to have a good one with myself and Danny Campbell.”
Teahen and Dylan Lees came to the rescue of Temuka to see them battle through the final day against Celtic.
After being asked to follow-on, after making 150 for 9 from their first turn at bat, Temuka lost early wickets again, until the stubborn fight-back from the pair, eventually saw them escape with a draw.
Teahen’s 89, and Lees’ 63, meant Temuka finished on 239 for 9, at the close of play, to grab a share of the points.
HONOURS BOARD
Glen Drake 111 Kevin Teahen 89 Dylan Lees 63 Alan Reid 77 Bruce Carlaw 62 Craig Hinton 5 for 18