Palmerston Power 5/151 defeat 7/147 Nightcliff Tigers to win 2025 A-grade T20 title
Palmerston Power are the new DDCC A-grade T20 champions, clinching the title in a tense finish over Nightcliff Tigers. Recap the final here.
Palmerston Power have taken out the DDCC A-grade T20 title in dramatic fashion, crushing the hearts of the Nightcliff Tigers in the process.
Crowned champions after 5/151 (19) to 7/147 result, it wasn’t all smooth sailing for the satellite city side.
Perennial T20 grand finalists Nightcliff – who have featured in three of the past four finals (1-2 record) – went into bat first.
The Tigers had a fast start through Fergus McKenna (16) and Jordan Roads (29) who put on 43 runs by the fourth for no loss, before Palmerston captain Hamish Martin ran out McKenna at the start of the fifth.
Nightcliff then found themselves in a spot of bother losing 3/10 mid way through the inning before Rohan Philip (38) alongside Christopher Kellaway (38) righted the ship with a handy 57 run partnership.
Needing 148 for the win, Palmerston’s top four seemingly let the situation get the best of them, all falling for single digit scores.
At 4/30 after five, the maroon dugout was shell shocked.
However, the match was far from over as Prasanna Ketheeshwaran (73*) and Harshtik Bimbral (27), despite his debilitating calf cramp, put on a counter punch for the ages.
Spearheaded by the unflappable Ketheeshwaran, the sixth wicket partnership piled on 75 runs before Charlie Smith took out Bimbral’s stumps in the thirteenth.
Still with 42 runs required, Nightcliff looked to be on top with 30 balls remaining.
But some poor overs and great support play by Martin left the Tigers without an answer, until Ketheeshwaran put the icing on the cake, smacking a four and the winning runs to deliver Palmerston a courageous win.
After two physically and emotionally draining matches, a proud Martin said the day was a tiring and testing one for his entire crew.
“Big day – boys were out on their feet after our bowling innings,” Martin said.
“We knew it would take a gutsy effort and that’s exactly what it was.”
Not one who revels in individual praise and an individual seemingly immune to pressure, Martin (3/20) said his efforts were only possible off the back of his teammates who help lay the platform whenever he has the ball in hand.
“Pressure is for tyres,” he joked.
“I’ve got a great group around me, our quicks have been nothing short of fantastic all year so following them makes it a lot easier to do what I do.
“Its nice to contribute.”
The captain did admit the dugout was a touch on edge following a shaky start to their chase, but couldn’t help heap praise on the performance of his number five and six.
“(We) Lost a couple at the top,” he said.
“But the way Prasanna and Harshtik came out was special.
“Belief was obvious as soon as he started his innings and he finished with justifiable flowers of winning runs.
“So proud of Pras … not a bloke at our club who works harder and celebrates people’s success harder, he is hungry, has a point to prove and my golly he proved it tonight.”
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Originally published as Palmerston Power 5/151 defeat 7/147 Nightcliff Tigers to win 2025 A-grade T20 title
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