Thriller goes to final ball

Opening day victory for Tigers

Game Two went right down to the wire. Apple Finance Firebirds skipper John Curtis won the toss and decided to have a bat. Mike Rath looked in imperious form for the Birds as he reached 40 before being sent packing by the impressive Jamie O’Dell. Sam Twine, one of many youngsters picked by Curtis at the Draft Night, worked the ball around well, although he and the other batsmen struggled against the slow right arm bowling of Kevin Roome. Terry Wyatt combined with Twine and they looked like taking their side to a large total before Tom Hilson produced a spectacular catch to remove Wyatt off the bowling of Connor Whetstone. Twine went on to finish on an unbeaten 36 but with Russ Savidge executing his skills well in the final overs, the Birds were restricted to 136-5.

O’Dell and Harry Jenkins picked up early boundaries as the Kushoom Bugh based outfit began their chase, but youngsters Twine and Ollie Woods sent them both back to put the game in the balance. Hilson looked in good touch before falling to Aalok Latey and Luke Williams accounted for Julian Whetstone as the Birds fought back and put the pressure back on the Tigers. Williams also picked up Sean Richardson, and with 24 needed from the last two overs and then 17 from the last it looked like Curtis would end the day a happy man. Connor Whetstone had other ideas though as he went after Twine’s final over, and with the Firebirds inexperienced line up struggling to keep their nerve in the field the Tigers ended up needing one run from the final ball. Will Frost worked the concluding delivery to the point boundary for four to give the Tigers victory in one of the best contests in the Whack’s four year history.