Stags skipper Jack Murdoch won the toss and elected to bat. He was rewarded by his openers doing a fine job with Mark Withers and Dan Cooper batting sensibly and accumulating runs slowly at first then steadily increasing the run rate.

Cooper in particular was taking on the loose ball and dispatching it, while Withers proved a perfect foil for him.

The pair posted a 62 run stand, before Andrew Tivey trapped Withers in front for a well made 19.

Brad Mitchell made it a double blow for Hibo, when he bowled Cooper for a very solid knock of 34 and Stags were left two wickets down for a healthy 62 runs.

Josh Ryrie who has been great in the Goulburn Representative side was next in and Hibo was glad to see the back of him when Tivey got one through him. He was back in the pavilion with the score, three down for 67.

This quickly became four for 67, when Mitchell got one through Corey Greenwood’s guard.

Skipper Murdoch joined Dylan and these two set about restoring Stags prospects. With solid defence and neat attacking shots they were able to get Stags to 91. At that point, Mikael Webber bowled Murdoch for a patient 16.

The loss of Murdoch’s wicket prompted a further decline with Maddock still occupying the crease until he was eventually was run out for a resolute 18 and Stags ending up all out for 107.

All the The Hibo  bowlers got into the wicket column with Webber the pick with three for just 15 runs. He was backed up by Mitchell with two scalps for the concession of 30 runs, Tivey also with two wickets for 30 runs, Brad Smith one for 14 runs and  Ryan Day with one for 12 runs.

The Hibo Gold run chase got off to a solid start with Hamish Copland and Brad Webster putting on 24 before Corey Withers snared Copland, caught behind by Maddock for 14. Hibo were struck a blow moments later when Webster was forced to leave the field with a hand injury after he had been looking good.

Josh Watling and Webber took up the run chase and the score had moved to two wickets for 49 runs when Watling fell to Kel Sansom for 12.

Webber who was looking good was sent back when Mitch Cook lured him down the track and had him stumped for 12 and Hibo was down three wickets for 52 runs, which soon became  four down for 53, and Stags were back in the match.

Skipper Smith and Mitchell then set about a recovery mission for Hibo. With solid defence and good running between the wickets the score began to mount toward the target, but Mitchell lost patience and holed out off Cook for 10 and Hibo’s scoresheet showing five wickets down for 80 runs.

This became six wickets down for no additional runs, when Cook struck another blow in the next over.

He trapped Smith leg before wicket for a resilient innings of 19, which featured concentration and grinding out important runs.

Tivey joined Tom Pender and these two set about knocking off the remaining 28 runs for victory and this looked likely until Pender holed out to Cooper off Murdoch for a handy knock of 14, which had edged Hibo to seven wickets down for 97 runs and 11 short of the total required.

But when Ben Price fell with only one more run added the match was right on.

Tivey proved a stumbling block for Stags, and with Matt Scott the pair were able to get Hibo over the line with eight wickets gone for 108 runs.

Mitch Cook stood out for Stags with the ball returning the outstanding figures of three wickets for the concession of nine runs off nine overs overs he was well supported by Murdoch with two wickets for 25 runs, Kel Sansom one wicket for 25 runs, Corey Withers one wicket for 13 runs and Cooper one wicket for 21.

This was another great game of cricket played in good spirit and both teams deserve credit for their fighting qualities and will to win a tight match.

I