Left: The death rattle … Saints player Aaron Dragwidge lives a batsman’s worst nightmare, bowled for a duck by Ross Woodall.THE St Mary’s Saints were celebrating long and hard on Saturday night and into the early hours of Sunday morning after an enthralling battle saw them produce a comeback to defeat Cranbourne in their Dandenong and District Cricket Association (DDCA) round 4 clash.
With regular opener Gary Cake out injured, Ash Henry opened the batting with the in-form Troy Cashman.
While Cashman is usually the aggressor, it was Henry who came out with all guns blazing, hitting balls over the top of the infield in the first few overs.
The dismissal of Cashman for 1 sent a shiver down the spine of the Saints, but it meant someone else had to stand up.
Nick McKay and Aaron Dragwidge came and went faster than an English summer.
DDCA under 21 captain Rhys Serpanchy looked to be in magnificent touch.
Timing the ball beautifully, he flicked one off his pads early in his innings to see it bounce once and cannon into the square leg boundary, surprising even himself. He was unfortunately dismissed for 26 a short time afterwards.
Viraj Manikkam (15) batted beautifully and looked to be in full control before taking off for a sharp single and tearing a hamstring.
Skipper Paul Sharp kept the score moving with successive pull shots reaching the fence, however played on to be out for 17.
St Mary’s rock Michael Turner and veteran Cameron McDonnell came to the crease batting in the unfamiliar number seven and nine slots respectively.
With the score now at 7/124 and the Saints needing a further 95 runs to win, the situation looked grim.
Even though Turner and McDonnell were still at the crease it was a monumental ask.
McDonnell batted intelligently using wisdom gained from years of DDCA cricket to compile a valuable 19 before being judged lbw.
With the score at 8/157 the game looked shot for the Saints as McDonnell was the last of the recognised St Mary’s batsmen.
Injured Manny Coomaraswamy came to the crease.
With only batting bunny Jonathan Nolan to come, St Mary’s stalwart and life member Eugene O’Connor was the only player and supporter to keep the faith.
The Saints still required a further 62 runs to win but what followed was amazing.
Turner batted with aplomb playing |several slashing cover drives that went all |the way to the boundary on a lush |Carroll Reserve outfield.
Coomaraswamy batted patiently and showed courage after suffering a groin strain the week before.
He held up an end and made it possible for Turner to get the Saints across the line.
The highlight for Coomaraswamy was a lofted on drive that slammed into the boundary.
When Turner hit the winning runs in the second-last over the crowd erupted in excitement and disbelief.
At stumps Turner and Coomaraswamy were undefeated on 87 and 15 respectively.
It had many Saints remembering the wise words of former coach Stephen de Niese, “Where there’s life there’s hope”.
