LJ Hooker League: Goonellabah and Casino clash in eight-run thriller

There were batting collapses, dropped catches and a thrilling finish in a crucial top-four shootout in the LJ Hooker League.

Goonellabah Workers Sports pulled off a thrilling eight-run win over Casino. Picture: Imogen Armstrong

Goonellabah Workers Sports has moved into third place on the LJ Hooker League ladder and crucially edged ahead of some of its rivals in the race for the top four after a thrilling eight-run victory over Casino at Oakes Oval.

After being bowled out for 206 last weekend, the home side appeared to be cruising when it reduced the Cavaliers to 6-53.

However a couple of dropped catches and some dogged lower-order batting took the game right down to the wire.

With Connor Turner and Thomas Relph proving to be resilient with the bat, at one stage Casino appeared to be favourites to chase down the total, before Goonellabah took 3-30 late in the day to seal the victory.

“It was a good win,” said Goonellabah coach Graham Armstrong. “We probably put ourselves under a bit of pressure, to be honest. I thought we were well on top of the game, we had Casino at (6-53) and then we dropped a couple of chances.

“Had we taken the chances that were presented to us, we probably could have won the game by 50. But we didn’t, so that’s a learning. You learn a lot from those close ones.”

There was plenty of tension at the ground as Turner and Relph put on 67 for the eighth wicket to get their side within striking distance.

With 39 to win and three wickets in hand, Casino looked to be on top before quick Josh Healy came back on to knock over Relph for 35.

It proved to be a crucial turning point as stand-in skipper Damien Santin trapped Turner on the pads LBW for 50 in the very next over.

And while Khan Johnson and Jordan Williams put on 26 at a run a ball to allow their teammates to dream of victory, Reece Gregor got the all-important final wicket to seal the nailbiting win.

“For me personally, I’ve got to try and stay a couple of overs ahead of the game. But we dropped a chance the second ball after the tea break. At that point I thought, ‘Oh we’re going to toil now,’” said Armstrong.

“I’d be lying if I said that when they got within 20 that I wasn’t becoming a bit nervous and anxious about it all. But I could still see that the boys out in the middle were on their task.”

He added: “The thing for me was the way the boys fought hard to get home because anyone sitting at the ground when Casino got within 15 runs would have thought that Casino can’t lose from there,” said Armstrong.

“But the blokes we had on the park thought differently, put the pressure on them, put the ball in the right place and go the result in the end.”

The victory moved Goonellabah into outright third on the ladder with 60 points, crucially putting the team ahead of a chasing pack of three sides, including Casino, in the running to qualify for the top four.

“It’s such an important game on a number of levels,” said Armstrong. “One: obviously it gives us a little bit of breathing space in the standings, but the guys’ belief that they can win those close ones is probably even more important.”

Reece Gregor was outstanding with the ball. Picture: supplied

The two-day fixture was one of several twists and turns.

After winning the toss and batting first last weekend, Goonellabah found itself in deep trouble early in its innings, slumping to 2-2 and then 6-79 as Casino’s Jordan Williams and Oliver Walker ripped through the top order.

However some stubborn lower-order resistance from Kale Hare (34), Damien Santin (28) and an excellent 56 from number 10 Alec Watson pushed the side to a competitive total of 206 before being bowled out.

Resuming play on Saturday at 0-14, Casino’s innings drew parallels to its opponents’, with Goonellabah quicks Reece Gregor (5-40) and Josh Healy (3-59) took to batting line-up to reduce the Cavaliers to 6-53 and then 7-99.

However missed opportunities and some resistance sent the game down to the wire.

“The innings mirrored each other and it’s not a coincidence,” said Armstrong.

“One, the balls this season are deteriorating rapidly, and that’s across the board. They do a lot early but then drop away quickly. And Oakes this year, from what we’ve been able to ascertain out of it, will flatten out. If you can hold the attack early, you’ll score big runs. But it’s such a difficult job, batting at Oakes with the new ball because it does so much.”

Still chasing three wickets, Goonellabah’s task was made harder with captain Alec Watson breaking his finger in the warm-up and being unable to bowl, while all-rounder Kaleb Armstrong could only manage five overs before succumbing to a recurring back injury.

However the home side stuck at it away and pulled off a thrilling victory.

“Another thing that was pleasing is that our skipper could come off the park and nothing changed,” said Armstrong.

“The guys stayed on task, they knew who their new leader was and thought, ‘Right, Damo’s (Damien Santin) going to get us home.’ And he actually took the ball himself and got Connor Turner LBW. So that to me shows a massive resource in leadership.”

He added: “To get through it with a bit of adversity was good. It really showed that that character, will and fight was still sitting there. Those are the pleasing things that make us think, ‘We can still win this premiership.’”

Goonellabah Workers Sports 10-206 (Watson 56, Bezrouchko 38; Williams 4-27, Walker 4-31) defeated Casino Cavaliers 10-198 (Turner 50, Relph 35; Gregor 5-40, Healy 3-59) by eight runs