THE improving Launceston team made it two wins in a row when they gained a last-minute wicket to topple NTCA ladder leaders Westbury yesterday.
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The young Launceston line-up is now challenging for a place in the finals after making it consecutive wins over Mowbray and Westbury.
A decision by captain Rowan Smith to hand the new ball to Jackson Miller paid dividends for Launceston as the pendulum of the game continued to swing at Westbury.
‘‘Both teams had a chance of victory and it went right down to the wire,’’ Smith said.
Miller rewarded his captain by taking two wickets in the last 25minutes of the game to give Launceston the points.
Westbury had been set a target of 296 for victory and appeared on course following a 54-run partnership between Sean Stevenson and Josh Adams and then some solid batting from captain Dane Anderson after the tea break.
‘‘It was a credit to our bowlers the way they stuck to their task,’’ Smith said.
‘‘We’re a young developing team and it was a significant win to beat the reigning premiers.’’
Although Miller cleaned up the Westbury innings, Smith was full of praise for his spin bowlers and said he was reluctant to replace them.
‘‘They all did a remarkable job and the most pleasing thing is we are learning how to win,’’ he said.
‘‘We prepared to stick to the game plan when things are not going our way.’’
Smith said the wickets were shared among his bowlers and he was also quick to praise Brendan Fraser, who although wicket less, bowled 17 overs for just 24 runs.
Adams top scored for Westbury with 79 runs while Anderson made 45 before he was caught off the bowling of Tom Bennett.
SOUTH LAUNCESTON V
MOWBRAY
South Launceston successfully defended the Ian Young-Ricky Ponting Memorial Shield in their game against Mowbray at Youngtown.
Mowbray was set an achievable target of 196 to win on the final day but after a promising start from captain John Le Fevre and fellow opener Liam Reynolds, the other top order batsmen fell away against the bowling of Casey Young and Kyle Bowie.
This is the fourth year South Launceston and Mowbray have played for the Ian Young-Ricky Ponting Shield, which is named in honour of the former popular coach and cricket administrator along with Mowbray’s champion product.
‘‘South Launceston has been lucky enough to win the shield for the past three years,’’ captain Chris Hay said.
Batting in their second innings yesterday, South Launceston were dismissed for 128 as they went in search of runs to add to their first-innings lead of 77.
Hay and Alec Smith added 45 for the second-wicket partnership and lower in the order, Warick Johnson and Casey Young contributed to the total.
Mowbray were faced with getting the runs inside 41 overs but stumbled after Le Fevre and Reynolds put on 31 for the opening wicket.
Young and Bowie were rewarded with five of the seven wickets to fall with Mowbray’s innings closing at 7-81.
The win has put the Knights in contention for top position on the ladder with just three rounds left.
STARS OF THE DAY
BATTING
Josh Adams (Westbury) 79
Dane Anderson (Westbury) 45
Warick Johnson (South Launceston)27
BOWLING:
Casey Young (South Launceston) 12-6-11-3.
Dominic Chatfield (Launceston) 12-6-12-3
Jackson Miller (Launceston) 16.5-3-37-3