Aaron De Jager took a screamer of a catch, diving full stretch to his left, to give the Southern Highlands side a 10-run win and end a miraculous fightback from the Tamworth tail.

Chasing Robertson Burrawang’s 137, the home side’s title hopes were looking in disarray at 6-43.

They plummeted further when Joey Holt (17) and Troy Osborne (17), after steadying the innings with a 32-run stand, fell two overs apart to leave them 8-81.

It looked a long way back from there but Ben Semmler and Jack Richards dragged them back into it.

But just as it appeared like they might get them home, Richards (13) skied one up.

That left it up to Semmler and Will Howard.

They got it down to 19 off five and then 13 off three before being denied by De Jager’s outstretched arms.

It’s Robertson Burrawang’s second year in the Shield after winning the Plate two years ago.

Last year they made it through to the final four but were knocked out in the semi-final.

Yesterday, after winning the toss, captain Nathan Wright decided to have a bat.

It was a bit of a toss-up but the pitch looked hard enough, he said.

“Runs on the board in any sort of pressure game always helps,” he said.

They got a good platform through openers Ben Wright (22) and Matt Cupitt (12) but, from the third wicket on, just lost wickets at regular intervals.

Ben Hamilton finished their top-scorer with 46 and anchored the innings.

Nathan Wright also chipped in with 23.

“When we were on 99 I thought if we could get 150, that would be enough to bowl at,” Wright said.

In the end, they were probably about 20 short.

Tamworth then made steady progress early, with openers Adam Lole and Matt Everett putting on 27 for the opening wicket.

But the innings took a tail-spin when they lost Lole and then three runs later, and right on lunch, Richie O’Halloran.

Then first ball back from the resumption, Everett (15) fell. 

It was the story of the innings – losing wickets at crucial times and in clumps.

From there, they lost 4-13, the top order that has served them so well all campaign failing to fire.

“Just bad batting,” was skipper Ben Middlebrook’s blunt assessment.

“In our top order we didn’t apply ourselves and batted poorly.”

“Everyone chasing such a small total thought ‘we’ll do it in 20 overs’.”

“But they’re a good fielding side and bowled good lines and put us under pressure.”

He said full credit to Holt, Osborne, Richards, Semmler, who finished unbeaten on 26, and Howard for getting them in it but it should never have been on their shoulders.

“Losing Richie last ball before lunch and Matty first ball after didn’t help our cause,” Middlebrook said.

Everett’s wicket was a bonus for Robertson Burrawang after picking up the two just before lunch, and a big one.

He and Middlebrook were the two danger players as they saw, and Wright felt they were on top when they got them.

Even still, there were a few nervous moments.

“When it got to 12 off 18 with one wicket in hand, it only takes one big hit,” he said.

He thought openers Mitch Wright (2-20) and Nathan Ring (1-32) bowled well along with James Hart (3-17).

“(Hart) He left home at 2am this morning to get here,” he said.

He’d been on call until midnight and arrived around 8.30am.

Harrison Kelly was the pick of the bowlers for Tamworth with 2-11. 

Howard and Osborne also chimed in with three.