JEPARIT defied its bottom-of-the-ladder status to beat previously-undefeated Nhill in their one-day match at Davis Park at the weekend.
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It was the definition of a thriller, with both teams believing they had drawn the match until the score-keepers re-examined the scorebooks.
Upon re-counting, it emerged that Jeparit had managed a two-run win in the final over of the day.
The performance was set up by some good early bowling and solid batting.
Nhill elected to bat after winning the toss but opener Shaun Smith and number three Steve Graham were each held to just six runs.
Jamie Harding and David Harris eventually got the scoreboard ticking over to finish with 44 runs apiece and Luke Smith contributed 42 to take the Tigers to 5-162.
Tim Braendler, Adrian King and skipper Trevor James each took one wicket, while Jack Crowhurst finished with two.
King and Braendler were straight back into the thick of the action as they opened the batting for Jeparit.
King made 47 and Brandler scored 26.
Tom Crowhurst and James were important contributors in the middle order with 36 and 30 not out respectively.
James said it was a tense final over for his side, which believed it needed six runs to win.
“We only got five runs and we thought ‘well that’s it, it’s a draw’ and both teams shook hands and walked off thinking it was a draw,” he said.
“Then the scorers told us to wait while they checked it and it turned out we had won by two runs.
“I think the best thing was to have all the young fellas who we have had with us for a while all contributing – either with the ball or with the bat.”
James said the win would give his side momentum in the second half of the season and the belief it could compete with the best sides in the competition.
It proved to be a bad weekend for the top two sides as Rainbow went down to Kiata at Nhill College.
Nathan Alexander and Darcy Preston each scored more than 70 runs to set Rainbow a 177-run target.
Brett Jensz could not replicate his century-making form of last round but still made a handy 26.
Brodie Cramer’s 61 runs was one of the few other batting bright spots for the reigning premier.