Iona claimed a bayside boilover while St Patrick’s came back from the dead to beat Padua College
Iona College turned the race for the AIC premiership on its head with an upset win over St Laurence’s College in the most dramatic of circumstances. In another close match, St Patrick’s College came back from the dead to beat Padua College.
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Iona College turned the race for the AIC premiership on its head with an upset win over St Laurence’s College in the most dramatic of circumstances.
It was an amazing round which also saw Villanova beat old foes Marist Ashgrove, St Patrick’s come back from the dead to beat Padua by just five runs and St Edmund’s secure its first win of the summer.
Iona’s one run win (9-145) with two balls to spare over St Laurence’s College (144) came in the last over.
Iona tailender Archie Linning hit the ball to the field and his partner Lachlan Piket ran for all he was worth, making his ground just ahead of the ball cannoning into the stumps.
Lauries appealed but Piket was safe and the Iona victory was secure.
“He had to slide his bat to make his ground from the direct hit,’’ said Iona coach Wayne Niven.
“It was a seesawing game.
“At stages it felt like we were going okay and then they’d pick up another one.’’
Niven praised the efforts of Tom Waters for breaking the game open with about 25 runs needed.
He hit two fours in a row and then a six and all of a sudden Lauries needed a dozen to win.
St Laurence’s were in trouble early but a tremendous half century from Lance Davies lifted his side to 144.
Not far away from the Iona playing fields, old foes Villanova College and Marist College Ashgrove got down and dirty in a desperate dogfight.
Playing on the hallowed turf named in honour of the great Villa old boy Andrew Slack, defending champions Villanova (6-135) recovered from 3-9 to show there was still plenty of water to go under the bridge this season when they rose up to beat challengers Ashgrove (134).
The cream rose to the top when Villanova fast bowler Josh Smith blasted out his Marist rivals during a matchwinning effort of 3-18 (10 overs).
Just as effective with the ball was Aiden Lee (1-20) while the D’souza brothers and Tom Godwin also did their bit to lay foundations for a Villanova victory.
For Ashgrove, Tom Philp (18) dropped anchor around the stylish Tom Collier (32) to add 51, but after they were dismissed it was a steady procession of wickets.
At the death Ashgrove’s Nathan Armitage made 18 to marginally keep his team’s head above water and inflate the score with valuable runs.
With no margin for error, the Ashgrove bowling and fielding contingent cast a big net around their rivals.
Ash paceman Jacob Kumaru produced an inspired opening salvo as Villanova crashed to 3-9 before Louis Henderson gave Villanova footing.
Blake Muller was staying with Henderson, but after adding 40, Philp burst through Muller’s defences to bowl him and Villa were 4-49.
Oliver Timms then joined Henderson, even daring to open the shoulders to send a six beyond the boundary ropes.
But for the most part it was a case of steady she goes as Villanova wriggled their way closer to the victory target despite the best efforts of an accurate Philp.
Henderson was eventually dismissed by Laffer for 43, while Oliver Timms (38) was run our by Kumaru with his side eight runs short of victory.
At Curlew Park, everything old was new again as Charles Moore topscored for St Patrick’s College and then Paddies’ managed to find their way to a narrow win over Padua.
St Patrick’s made just 129 which coach Vic Williams thought was a bit skinny.
“I thought 140 would have been a reasonable score,’’ he reflected.
Williams said his team’s bowling effort came in two halves.
“Up until the 18th over we were a bit impatient. Then after drinks we were really disciplined and bowled really well,’’ he said praising Ben Clarke and Hayden Vickers.
St Patrick’s Bailey Reed gave his side early hope with a wicket while Jack Davey also claimed two wickets, including the impressive Paddison (27, 30 balls) who was steering Padua in the right direction.
In the first session, Moore (48) was outstanding for Paddies as the disciplined Padua attack slowly but surely worked their way through Paddies’ line-up.
The Pembroke brothers, William (2-17) and Ryan (2-27), took four wickets between them while Daniel Matheson (3-25) claimed the bowling honours for Padua.
But make no mistake – this was again a team bowling effort where the wicket takers were very much aided by their mates bowling from the other end.
Dangerous paceman George Kelsall claimed 1-21 from seven overs, but he also secured the first wicket with a run out.
Moore, who top scored in St Pat’s successful run chase last weekend, was a class above as he flowed to 48 from just 52 balls before Ryan Pembroke had him caught by Ned Paddison.
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Elliot Drinkall (14) and Benjamin Buechler (11) both reached double figures for St Pat’s, but both fell to Matheson.
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At Tivoli Field, the St Edmund’s bowlers were absolutely outstanding in lowering St Peters colours, then Eddies’ batting held-up to secure a fantastic win.
St Edmund’s bowlers Harry Sammut (2-21), Geol George (2-18), Patrick Schmidt (0-30), Patrick Towne (2-20) and Blayde Klass (1-18) were at the top of their game.
But best of all was Dylan McAteer whose 10 overs cost him just nine runs.
McAteer did not take a wicket, but from one end he built pressure and from the other his bowling partners feasted.
It has not been an easy start to the season for St Edmund’s who had conceded 249 runs to Marist College Ashgrove just seven days earlier.
However, the bowling – and fielding group – should be wholeheartedly praised for the manner in which they rebounded – win, lose or draw.
When St Edmund’s went out to bat, St Peters bowler Ben Murdoch threatened to plunge Eddies’ into disarray.
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Murdoch crashed through both openers to twice send the bails flying.
But McAteer (41, 157 minutes) and Patrick Schmidt put their miner’s hats on and started digging Eddies’ out of trouble.
After 79 minutes of resistance, Schmidt (29) was dismissed by George Thomas, but at 3-85, St Edmund’s were still nicely placed.
McAteer continued on with his marathon innings as his side won by four wickets with 14 balls to spare.
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