Chasing the Saints first innings total of 223, neither team was able to gain much of an advantage at any stage on day two at Sunnyside.

Homers first hiccup came when opener Simon Hopper was forced to leave the match in the sixth over with a strained calf. Craig Britten (0 runs) and Adam Atwood (10) fell not long afterward to bring them to 2-27 in addition to an injured Hopper. 

Jason Kannar (26) and skipper Jarred Combe (43) steadied the side with a partnership of 63 runs before falling in quick succession with Homers at 4-94.

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Chris Hopper (71 runs) then came to the crease and was the key in the run chase. Eddie Landwehr (5) and Darren Paul (1) both fell before number nine Brody Smith (39) and Hopper brought their side to within touching distance at 6-193. 

However, Hopper and Zac Noonan (0) both fell with the score still at 193, leaving Homers in need of 31 more runs for victory. The dire situation prompted the return of the injured Simon Hopper to form a match winning partnership with Smith. 

“I wasn’t great, I was pretty sore,” Simon Hopper said. “I couldn’t run but I could hit the ball. When I batted I just tried to stick around with Brody Smith.”

After an excellent innings, Smith fell at the final hurdle with the side needing three more runs for victory.

Batting at number eleven, youngster Patty Mills stepped to the crease and manfully saw off two balls from the in-form Hadyn Smith who took four wickets in the match. The injured Hopper then scored the winning runs in the 65^th over of the day, securing Homers the win in a dramatic finish.

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Hopper said it was an exciting end to the two-day contest.

“It was good fun, great cricket,” Hopper said. “When you open the batting you generally don’t bat at the end like that, so it was something new.

“Both teams could have won it but we just managed to get in front at the end.”

Hopper said the close contest demonstrated the evenness of the A Grade competition this season.

“The whole game both weeks it was neither team really got away with the batting or the bowling,” he said.

“The top four are all pretty similar on their day, I don’t think we’re a stand out. It’s an even season.”

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In other contests, Rup-Minyip came within two wickets of an outright victory against the West Wimmera Warriors. 

The Warriors were all out for 82 after 45 overs in their first innings, giving Rup-Minyip the chance to push for the extra points with 45 overs remaining in the day.

But the Warriors were able to just hold out, finishing at 8-90 after 45 overs thanks largely to opener Michael Preston who made a pivotal 33 not out.

Laharum also denied the Jung Tigers the outright victory, holding on in their second innings to finish at 4-88 after 26 overs.

Jung took a 153 run lead after the first innings with skipper Angus Adams making his first century of the season with 128.

The Tigers pushed on for the pivotal extra points but were unable to have Laharum all out despite the best efforts of Joel Pymer who took three wickets.