HILLGROVE Colts fought back from a small first innings to leave competition leaders and minor premiers Easts one wicket away from defeat in their Armidale first grade clash at Lambert Park as Armidale City ponder how they need to beat Ex-Services outright and ease past Hillgrove.
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City dismissed Ex-Services for 126 and were 2-38 at stumps at Armidale Sportsground.
They entered the final two-day game equal second with Hillgrove but trailing on nett run rate.
City skipper Steve Butler had thought Easts were in a good position earlier in the afternoon.
“We were told they were 2-60 chasing Hillgrove’s 145,” he said when informed Hillgrove had Easts 9-106 at stumps.
“It means we’ve got to get an outright next week if we are going to finish second.”
Finishing higher provides a “rain insurance” if the final is washed out in two weeks.
The higher-placed team would play Easts in the grand final.
Easts were on top early too at Lambert Park where spinner Matt Jackson grabbed six wickets but seam bowler Justin McKay was outstanding.
“Matt did bowl well,” said skipper Sam Uphill but Justin was the pick of our bowlers and Todd (Francis) did bowl well too.
“But all the good work we did with the ball we threw away with the batting.”
Tyson Burey and Justin Hickey will resume the Easts innings and searching for 40 more runs to give them an unlikely first innings win and City the inside run.
“We’re hoping for a bit of fine weather,” Hillgrove skipper Brad King said.
“We’ll chase the four points first.”
He thought Justin McKay was outstanding against his side.
“He did bowl well, heaps of bounce and swing too,” he said.
“145 wasn’t much but then Max Laurie bowled well again and took four wickets but Lochie Elks was scary-quick and picked up a two-for.
“Then I brought Harry (Harrison) on and he got two wickets in one over.”
Michael Dawson (39) and Matt Baillie (20) had put on an opening stand of 60 but it was all downhill from there although Scott Brennan, Tom Armitage and PJ Wright all got starts with double figures and Harrison King remained unbeaten on 10.
Armidale City could have been in a much better position too at the Sportsground.
“We dropped Ben Jackson eight or nine times,” Butler said.
“He scored 61, Josh Martin made 22 and Garry Yeomans 13.”
Karl Triebe (3-25), Adam Sweeney (1-13), Andrew Skinner (3-2), Matt Morrow (2-2) and Butler (1-36) shared the wickets.
