Launceston has kept its faint finals hopes alive with a thrilling last-ball win at South Launceston.
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While Westbury and Riverside received four points each for a wash-out, the league’s two NTCA-based sides headed out for a 32-over match and Knight Nathan Philip made light work of the damp conditions, blasting 90 to continue his hot streak of form.
South’s 5-163 looked a bridge too far when consecutive run-outs reduced the Lions to 6-123, but experienced duo Daniel Smith and Damien Jillett were unfazed.
Needing eight off the last over, the pair pulled the equation back to two runs off the last ball – a feat Smith achieved by clearing the infield.
“It was a great team win and I’m just really proud of the boys,” Launceston captain-coach Alistair Taylor said.
“We’ve had a few rough weeks and to come back the way we did and with Nathan Philip getting 90 at the other end, we could have gone into our shells and got rolled so I’m really proud of the boys how we went about it.
“Hopefully it should kickstart the rest of the year.”
Tom Bennett (54) scored his first half-century of the year after opening the batting, while Ben Humphrey (2-29), Harrison Banks (2-20) and Will Bennett (0-22 off five) all played key roles with the ball.
Taylor also reserved special praise for the NTCA ground staff.
“It didn’t looked great there early but the groundsmen were fantastic for us, they were keen to get us a game and they did.”
KNIGHTS UPBEAT DESPITE DEFEAT
South Launceston captain Tom Waller is staying positive despite a four-wicket loss to Launceston.
The defeat saw the Knights surrender top spot to Westbury and potentially their right to a home final should Ulverstone win next round.
But Waller was confident his troops had shown enough during the season to match it with any team.
“It was obviously disappointing to lose, we might have let it slip with a couple of overs in the middle,” he said.
“We didn’t take our opportunities when they presented themselves, but it was only our second loss for the year and we’re still going to have a finals spot.
“If you said at the start of the season we’d be in the top four of the Greater Northern Cup we’d have taken it for sure.
“We’d rather a loss at this stage of the campaign than towards the end.”
The form of Nathan Philip alone is evidence the Knights will be tough to beat come January 6’s semi-finals.
“He scored 90 and I think his average went down - you wouldn’t hear that very often.
“At times he looks like he’s at a different level and he made the hard look easy.”