Hills steals thriller

By Gavin Staindl
ENDEAVOUR HILLS pulled off a stunning last ball victory – after coming back from a seemingly hopeless situation – to beat Croydon by two wickets at Sydney Pargeter Reserve.
At 6/120 the Hills needed 79 runs in 10 overs at an average of just under nine an over, and when captain John Hayes (36) was caught at long mid-on a few moments later, Endeavour Hills looked on track for another sobering defeat.
However, eighth and ninth batters Matt Ashlett (56) and Matt Foenander (28) combined for seven fence-clearing shots that reduced the deficit to three runs with an over left.
After two dot balls Ashlett scored two runs that levelled the scores.
But the match took another turn when at the very next ball Ashlett was stumped trying to hit in the winning runs.
His dismissal brought Dale Manson to the crease and in doing so brought everyone in the clubhouse to their feet.
“It was nail-biting. The fifth ball was a dot ball and no-one in the sheds was sitting down,” said Hayes.
For the Hills’ sake Manson held his nerve and punched the final ball through mid-wicket for the winning single.
“It was pretty full on,” a thrilled and relieved Hayes said.
Earlier, Croydon elected to bat and were restricted to 8/198 after Manson (2/28), Foenander (2/48) and Shane Peake (2/24) all contributed with the ball.
In reply, Endeavour Hills lost Richard Saniga (1) and Lenny Van der Werff (14) early on but a steadying innings by newly promoted Bihan Weerakoon (20) gave support to Hayes when he came to the crease with his team at 3/50.
“We were in a bit of trouble so we took the punt (to chase the runs) and it paid off,” Hayes said.
However, Hayes quickly lost support and his team fell to 6/102, needing more than a run a ball.
When Ashlett headed to the middle, Hayes told him to “play on instinct”.
Ashlett had received the call up earlier in the week that he would be playing in the first division despite making no runs in the second division since leaving from Dandenong during the festive break.
“His batting during the week was ordinary but I had a feeling in the guts (to select him) … and it paid off,” Hayes said.
This year the four tailenders for Endeavour Hills have scored a combined 225 runs for the summer at an average of 37.5 but last week the bottom four batters blasted a combined 83 runs and gave up only the one wicket, as a game that appeared lost was won.
Endeavour Hills will now travel to A. K. Line Reserve to clash with second-placed Bundoora in the first two-dayer for the year.