The Brisbane-based team, skippered by Kevin “Craze” Cantwell and Peter Dutton, have won seven of the last 10 A Division titles and started the 2017 carnival with a 4-2 win over NSW Country Allstars followed by a come-from-behind 4-all draw with Deadstars.

Sunday started slowly against Canberra bandits as Interport converted a 1-nil deficit into a 7-1 win on the back of a marvellous pitching display by John “Bock” Boothby.

The veteran’s valiant pitching display was a massive effort given his side arrived with just eight players after two late pullouts left the side in a desperate position.

Interport then beat Brisbane Thunder 11-3 in the afternoon to enter the final round game against Tamworth with three wins, a draw and a final berth against an unknown team irrespective of the Tamworth result.

Tamworth was hoping to be that side but lost to Deadstars 5-3 yesterday afternoon.

“We needed to win that one,” Tamworth coach Dave King said.

“One dig hurt us. They scored three or four runs in that inning on top of a few errors. Up until that point it was a pretty tight game.”

Canberra Bandits highlighted their carnival debut with wins over NSW Country Allstars and Tamworth on Saturday before losing to Interport.

A 4-2 win over Deadstars may have secured a final berth but the Bandits must win their final round game against Brisbane.

Steve Berg, a former Tamworthian, is managing the Bandits and was delighted with their opening two days.

“We have a mixture of first and second grade players,” Steve Berg said of a strong club with a proud and successful history in the ACT.

“We have teams in all six grades and the first and second grade teams have won three or four of the last four or five premierships.”

He and another Bandit, who has Tamworth connections, organised a team to play in the carnival and hope to return with even more Bandits in 2018.

“We decided to enter a team and have a good time,” Steve Berg said.

“We have had a good time.”

He said the game against the Interport Masters was a vital one.

“We had targeted that game,” he said.

“We started well but then we made errors.”

The Interport Masters, with Boothby and Brad Dutton leading the way, pounced to turn the game.

Like Interport, the Bandits have come with a side short on manpower but long on commitment and valour. It will be a major learning curve for them as well.

“Hopefully we will bring back another two sides next year, a women’s team and a second grade side as well,” Berg said.

The final round games pit Interport and Tamworth, Deadstars and NSW Country Allstars and Canberra Bandits versus Brisbane Thunder before the A Division final at 11am.

(compiled by Geoff Newling)

A DIVISION: Interport 4 NSW Country Allstars 2, Tamworth 2 Brisbane Thunder 1, Canberra Bandits 9 NSW Country Allstars 0, Interport 4 Deadstars 4, Deadstars 6 Brisbane Thunder 4, Canberra Bandits 5 Tamworth 4, Interport 7 Canberra Bandits 1, NSW Country Allstars 7 Brisbane Thunder 5, Interport Masters 11 Brisbane Thunder 3, Canberra Bandits 4 Deadstars 2, Tamworth 3 NSW Country Allstars 0, Deadstars 5 Tamworth 3.

B DIVISION: Deadstars 15 Hastings River Pirates 2, The Beers 5 Highlanders 1, The Beers 5 Thundercocks 3, Highlanders 5 Deadstars 0, Thundercocks 9 Hastings River Pirates 3, Hastings River Pirates 9 Highlanders 2, Deadstars 13 Thundercocks 11, The Beers 7 Deadstars 0, Thundercocks 3 Highlanders 0.

C DIVISION: Deadstars Young Guns 6 Kingswood 3, Beers 8 Knights 3, Muppets 11 Karingi Stealers 10, Ardills 11 Savages 5, Ardills 14 Wolves 9, Deadstars Young Guns 10 Cougars USDC 4, Muppets 7 Kingswood 5, Deadstars Seniors 8 Savages 0, Karingi Stealers 12 Wolves 1, Beers 10 Ardills 0, Deadstars Young Guns 6 Knights 5, Beers 7 Muppets 3, Karingi Stealers 11 Savages 5, Deadstars Seniors 14 Wolves 9, Muppets 9 Cougars USDC 9, Cougars USDC 9 Karingi Stealers 6, Deadstars Young Guns 20 Wolves 2, Beers 15 Savages 9, Deadstars Seniors 13 Knights 7, Kingswood 15 wolves 3, Knights 16 Savages 6, Muppets 7 Deadstars seniors 1, Beers 11 Cougars USDC 2, Muppets 5 Ardills 3, Kingswood 16 Savages 5, Beers 14 Wolves 5, Deadstars Young Guns 16 Karingi Stealers 11.

D DIVISION: Balls Deep 8 Armidale Outlaws 4, Thundercocks 13 Rams 6, Micks Mavericks 7 Armidale Outlaws 5, Rams 8 Kissing Pt Angels 1, Thundercocks 5 Balls Deep 4, Bluegrass 10 Kissing Pt Angels 0, Bluegrass 10 Sons of Pitchers 3, Rams 15 Mick’s Mavericks 14, Bluegrass 8 Balls Deep 3, Sons Of Pitchers 7 Kissing Pt Angels 7, Balls Deep 10 Kissing Pt Angels 1, Rams 12 Armidale Outlaws 9, Balls Deep 11 Sons Of Pitchers 6, Kissing Pt Angels 7 Armidale Outlaws 7, Thundercocks 15 Mick’s Mavericks 14, Bluegrass 12 Mick’s Mavericks 5, Rams 14 Sons Of Pitchers 3, Thundercocks 10 Armidale Outlaws 4, Bluegrass 7 Thundercocks 1, Mick’s Mavericks 7 Balls Deep 6.

E DIVISION: Kissing Pt Angels 13 Col’s Old Boys 7, Gunnedah 9 Beers 4, All Bars 13 Beers 12, Col’s Old Boys 10 Gunnedah 7, Cougars Tamworth 5 All Bars 3, Team Duff 15 Kissing Pt Angels 3, Team Duff 6 Beers 1, Cougars Tamworth 5 Gunnedah 5, Team Duff 4 Cougars Tamworth 1, All Bars 7 Col’s Old Boys 6, Team Duff 13, Gunnedah 0, All Bars 11 Gunnedah 9, Kissing Pt Angels 7 Cougars Tamworth 4, Team Duff 5 All Bars 0, Team Duff 14 Col’s Old Boys 5.

F DIVISION: Beers 5 JC’s Legends 4, Mavericks 15 Deadstars 13, Beers 6 Dilligaf 0, Mavericks 8 Comets 5, Cougars USDC 7 Deadstars 7, Deadstars 15 JC’s Legends 7, Beers 7 Comets 5, Tamworth Women 17 JC’s Legends 2, Cougars USDC 9 Mavericks 6, Cougars USDC 6 Tamworth Women 2, Comets 16 Mavericks 3, Comets 7 JC’s Legends 1, Tamworth Women 8 Mavericks 4, JC’s Legends 15 Dilligaf 15, Comets 11 Tamworth Women 10, Cougars USDC 7 Beers 4, Dilligaf 5 Mavericks 3, Deadstars 10 Tamworth Women 2, Deadstars 7 Beers 0, Cougars USDC 8 JC’s Legends 5.