A LAVINGTON rookie was the star with bat and ball in a last over nail biter on Saturday at the Panthers’ home ground.
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With scores all locked up on the scoreboard, Michael Galvin — in just his third game of first grade cricket — square cut the last ball of the day to the boundary for the win over Albury.
Galvin had earlier taken 2-29 from 10 overs as Albury was bowled out for 156.
Last year’s premier was headed for victory off a solid knock from Andrew Taylor before a final-over melt down.
Needing just a run to tie, Albury’s Dave Tassell took two wickets with consecutive balls.
It meant No.11 Cam McCormack was the Panthers’ last hope and, fresh from a duck the week before, set to face the hat-trick delivery.
He swung and missed and then got a single off the next ball to bring Galvin on strike.
“The rest is history,” captain Sam Harris said yesterday.
“There was some confusion between the scoreboard and the scoresheet.
“As it turned out we think Cam’s single was the winning run but no one knew that until after the game.
“Mick was the star for us and another example of the depth at the club.
“He came into first grade a month ago and has already taken eight or nine wickets with his off spin.
“Brayden Mulvey is another that has stepped up into first grade this year and his 31 in the middle order was a real turning point for us.”
Harris said Taylor will be greatly missed in the new year.
“We were two down for not many in the run chase and he just anchored the innings,” he said.
“Hopefully we can get him back for a few games from Canberra when he shifts there for work after January.”
Harris said they were back in the hunt for finals. Lavington sits sixth in a log jam of finals aspirants — four teams between 5th and 8th separated by three points.
“We wanted to go into the break at four wins and four losses after losing the first three games of the year,” he said.
“We just need to play solid cricket after Christmas and hopefully that locks our spot in the top six.”