Belvoir captain Matt Jaensch thought a slow over rate would cost his team a crucial victory against Tallangatta.
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The Eagles were on the verge of being penalised for the second time this season, but three late wickets derailed the worrying scenario.
“I thought we were gone,” Jaensch said.
“We were behind the over rate, and all they had to do was bat out the overs, we would have got penalised runs and they would have won the game.”
Chasing Belvoir’s 253, Tallangatta was bowled out for 229 in 74.4 overs.
“We had four seamers and only one part-time spinner in Lachie McMillan, and Michael Spiteri did his hamstring and it took him a while to get off the ground,” Jaensch said.
“The umpires were into me all day about the over rate, but we couldn’t really do much with only one part-time spinner.”
Lavington defeated Belvoir on the second-last ball of their round four clash in October, with the Panthers then handed 25 bonus runs as a result of the Eagles’ slow over rate.
Jaensch took 4-62 and is the association’s leading wicket-taker, with 30 at 11.57.
The umpires were into me all day about the over rate, but we couldn’t really do much with only one part-time spinner.
- Matt Jaensch
And it shows how well Nathan Thompson batted to counter Jaensch’s nagging accuracy.
The dashing left-hander came to the wicket at 2-11, and lasted until the 72nd over, scoring 121.
“That was the best innings against us for the year, his patience and his power was like something I hadn’t seen in a long time,” Jaensch said.
The Eagles also owed the win to their fielding, with McMillan’s superb direct hit ending Fraser Bremner’s innings, while Mitch Dinneen ran out Brett Allan third ball after tea.
And it was another outstanding piece of fielding which helped keep St Patrick’s season alive.
Wodonga star Robbie Jackson was caught short of his ground trying to get off the mark.
“Neil Smith, who’s probably not our most athletic fielder, came in from cover, scooped it up one hand and did a dive-throw in the one motion and only had stump to aim at,” St Pat’s captain Kane Arendarcikas said.
When it was suggested that was a signature move of the great South African fielder Jonty Rhodes, the Patties’ skipper took a light-hearted shot at his team-mate.
“I give you the tip, Neil Smith is not Jonty Rhodes,” he laughed.
The Patties could prove the story of the season as they chase an unlikely finals berth.
