In a thrilling conclusion to the Monaro District Cricket Association (MDCA) Senior Men’s One Day competition regular season, round 12 delivered nail-biting finishes and standout performances, leaving the finals series wide open for any of the top four sides to claim the premiership. The weekend’s matches were crucial in determining the final ladder positions, and cricket fans were treated to one of the tightest games in years.
PHOTO: Coffey’s Jumesh John and his off-spin fooled Dalgety’s ever reliable Nolan Holland.
At Rotary Oval Cooma, Dalgety Cricket Club faced off against Coffey’s Cricket Club in a match that kept spectators on the edge of their seats. Coffey’s, having won the toss, opted to bowl first. Dalgety posted a respectable 8/177, courtesy of reliable contributions from John Standford (34), Kale Ross (20), and Owen Freebody (24) but it was Coffey’s Jumesh John who stole the show with his impressive 5/25, turning the game in his team’s favour.
Coffey’s chased down the target in a tense finish, ending on 9/181 with John once again delivering at a critical moment, belting the 4 runs required for victory in the very last over.
PHOTO: Coffey’s Jumesh John lifting the match tying boundary.
Meanwhile, Jindabyne hosted the Berridale Whitetails in another close contest. The Whitetails, batting first, reached 145 thanks to captain Russell Haylock’s (42) steady anchoring at the crease. Despite early setbacks, Jindabyne’s Dave Tickell guided his team to victory with a solid half-century, supported by crucial knocks from teammates James Joyce, Simon Partell, and youngster Mason Marks.
In the final match of the round, Cooma Titans visited Rhythm Cricket Club. The Titans set a challenging total of 9/240, highlighted by Hassan Nawaz’s 80-run masterclass. Despite a valiant 59 from Nemasha Ambagahawatte, Rhythm fell short at 7/145 after 40 overs.
With the regular season now concluded, Coffey’s sits atop the ladder on 38 points and will face fourth-placed Berridale in a semi-final. Second-placed Jindabyne will host the Titans at JJ Connors Oval. Just missing out, Dalgety finished with 27 points, rounding off an exciting and unpredictable season. The stage is set for an exhilarating finals series, where any team could emerge as the champions.
Photo: Dalgety bow out of the premiership chase, but are certainly building a strong team featuring future senior talent.