Ex-Services have kept themselves in mathematical contention for the Armidale District Cricket first grade finals with a victory over Hillgrove on Saturday.
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Against what is often regarded as the strongest batting line-up in the competition, Ex-Services managed to restrict them to 126.
Barry Lockwood "wound back the clock" and was the stand out.
He finished with 3-23 with the ball and 48 with the bat
Hillgrove's openers began strong before Servies skipper John Elliot removed Matt Schaefer for 16.
Lockwood secured the first of his three wickets when Sam Johnson was caught on 19.
Hillgrove's Matt Baillie put himself back into second on the run-scorers' list with 40 before he was removed by Sreejan Tarafder.
Lockwood picked up another two, Tarafder and Elliot one apiece as the middle order crumbled.
A lone 21 not out by Hillgrove's Dick Heagney at the bottom of the order pushed their total out to 126 as Jarrod Burton picked up the remaining two wickets to have them all out.
"I think it was a well-rounded team performance with the ball and the field that set it up mainly," Elliot said.
"We also knew the job was only half done.
"It was a bit of a gutsy decision to bowl against that side but the Sportsground pitch and outfield really paid dividends.
"We bowled in the right areas and restricted their key batsmen very well."
In their run chase, Servies' Tarafder hung in there for a while but was trapped leg-before-wicket for one by Schaefer.
Fellow opener Nathan Withnell was caught on 17 off Max Laurie's bowling.
Nathan Street was then bowled lbw by James Treweeke for seven but that brought Lockwood to the crease to partner up with Benji Marshall.
Servies lost a handful of wickets around the 100-run mark but Lockwood's 48, Marshall's held on to claimed the runs.
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Elliot was thrilled to win, especially missing a handful of players including the fifth-highest run-scorer in first grade, from four games, John McKay.
We came into that game missing five key players. I think James Marshall did really well coming up from thirds into firsts to make his first grade debut.
"I did hear through the grapevine that was the second strongest side they [Hillgrove] have fielded all year, so I am pretty stoked to do that, especially with four or five blokes out.
"I was pretty impressed with our run chase, we didn't get carried away thinking 'oh it is only a little total.'
"Pretty happy, a rounded team performance."
One round remains in the competition and Servies sit at the bottom of the table. They need to defeat top-placed City this Saturday and Easts need to defeat Hillgrove convincingly in order to make the finals.
At Ted Mulligan Oval, Guyra managed to topple Easts.
After an early order collapse, Guyra number 10 batsman Tyson Burey stepped up with a 45-run stand to help his team reach 170.
"Tyson batted well and Demielle, young Joey Ryan had a patient stand," Guyra captain Charlie White said.
"I was thinking 120 was what we were going to deal with.
"It is always good to have a score to defend.
"But I was confident with any score we got we would have been able to do something with it."
With the ball, BJ Cameron "bowled with luck" and got Easts' opening three batsmen for a combined 27 runs.
Clarrie Moran and Ian Ranger then went about their business to settle Easts' innings.
White then opted to bring young spinner Joey Ryan to the crease and that paid dividends.
The teenager snared Moran for 52, then caught and bowled Luke Uphill for four and Lochie Elks in the same fashion in quick succession.
Matt Finlay aided in slowing things up before he, Cameron and Burey finished off the remaining Easts' batsmen to have them all out for 157 and short of the win.