The Bullets completed the Regional Bash in fine style, posting wins over Southern Riverina Vipers and Murrumbidgee Rangers in Griffith yesterday.

However, the first-round 64-run loss to the Wagga Sloggers came back to bite the competition’s inaugural champions as they fell well short.

“They played well today (Sunday), they just know that we lost that first game, which was a bad performance,” team manager Grant Ball said.

“Even if we’d lost that other game by 20 or 30 runs, rather than 64.”

Wagga, the Bullets and Vipers all finished on two wins apiece in the Riverina section of the statewide tournament.

But Wagga edged home on a positive net run rate of 0.70 from the Vipers (0.67) and the Bullets (-0.48).

Despite wasting an opportunity to return to the state’s home of cricket, the Bullets deserve praise for their fightback.

The first two games of the day were thrillers with both the Bullets and Wagga winning on the final ball.

Murrumbidgee (6-141) finished a boundary short of Wagga’s 9-145, while the Bullets (8-123) ran down the Vipers’ 6-122.

The Bullets needed four runs off the final over with youngster Callum Langlands tying the scores.

Fellow under 21 player Matt Tom then needed a single off the last ball, which he managed to the on-side for a crackerjack win.

“While Greg Daniel was there, he was turning the strike over, so that looked good,” Ball said.

“When he went out, it was the young guys, Matt Crawshaw, Callum Langlands and Matt Tom there at the end.”

Daniel top-scored with 27, while Ash Borella (23) and Andrew Weighell (22) also chipped in.

Borella was again in the runs against the Rangers with 29, while another player called into the squad in Josh Warren posted 26.

Captain Matt Armstrong top-scored with 30.

The home association was bundled out for just 113, as Jack Craig (3-9), Armstrong (3-9) and Daniel (2-8) destroyed the line-up.

Selectors made four changes, three due to injury or unavailability, after the Wagga game, with opener Borella, in particular, the standout.

“The young fellows did well, so that’s a positive to come from the tournament,” Ball said.

The rep season is now over, unless the association decides to chase more cricket in the various competitions.

And despite the strong comeback, it’s been another failed season.