It was a battle of the belters on Tuesday night, as Daniel Watson (above) and Jason Arnberger (right) hit six after six out of Park Oval. Pictures: Jarrod Potter
By Jarrod Potter
BUCKLEY RIDGES and Doveton played out a nail-biter in Tuesday night’s Twenty/20 match with Daniel Watson and Jason Arnberger trading sixes as the Ridges snuck home by three runs.
The Ridges won the toss and batted, with openers Craig Batchelor and Prahran import player Nick Schlitter getting the innings rolling fast, striking 50 from the first seven overs before Batchelor was dismissed on 16.
Two more quick wickets fell, with Troy Aust (1) and Schlitter (35) departing at 2/57 and 3/58 respectively.
This brought together Daniel Watson (77 not out) and Te Ahu Davis (25), who blasted a quickfire 92-run partnership from seven overs.
Watson was the aggressor in the partnership, belting five fours and five sixes to all parts of Park Oval.
Suren Ekanayake had a cameo innings of 21 before being comically run out off a misfield going for a second run.
Watson faced the last ball of the innings and put it into the Dandenong Creek for a massive six to finish off the innings at 5/189.
Doveton in response started badly, losing 3/36 off the first seven overs. Good slower bowling from Ridges’ Matt Goodwright and Wes Nicholas kept the run rate low through the opening period of the run chase.
This brought together Arnberger and Nick Fairbanks (51), who went about clawing Doveton back into the match. The pair put on 108 for the fourth wicket, with Fairbanks belting three sixes and four fours.
Fairbanks nicked one off Davis after bringing up his half-century and Doveton was left with 45 to get off three overs.
Arnberger let fly against Watson in the 18th over, hitting three sixes to bring the margin down to 24.
Next was Davis, who Arnberger and Sean Tongue (10 not out) struck for 11, leaving Doveton 14 to get off the last over.
After a long deliberation, Schlitter came on to bowl the last over. Ridges kept it tight for the first three balls, letting only singles get registered.
Tongue let fly with a flailing six over backward point and Doveton required five from the last two.
Tongue scrambled a single and it was Arnberger versus Schlitter, four to tie, and a six would give Doveton the win.
Arnberger sliced to backward point and Richie Hope fielded it well to give Buckley Ridges the three-run victory.
Both teams received a standing ovation from the crowd, with the biggest applause reserved for Arnberger, who walked off unbeaten with nine sixes and a four to his name in an amazing 85 not out.
It was not a night for the bowlers, with neither side getting a multiple wicket taker.
Buckley Ridges advance to the semi-finals on 17 January and will face Group B winner Coomoora.
Other results: Fountain Gate 7/166 (White 32) d Narre South 8/73. Narre North d St Mary’s. Mordialloc 6/156cc (Athukorala 51) d Silverton 59 (Connellan 6/10). Coomoora 2/102 (Hill 44) d Narre Warren (Bacic 3/6). Dandenong West 4/148 (Fielding 46, Parnall 31 not out) d Cranbourne 6/147cc (Cleland 42, Best 42 not out). Heinz Southern Districts 6/146 (M. Davies 64 not out, T. Davies 38, Alles 4/26) d Parkfield 8/144 (Alles 38, Spoljaric 36, Davis 5/15). Berwick 5/148cc (Henry 52, Davies 42) d Hallam Kalora Park 116 (Goodes 3/13, Crosby 3/20).
