Action from Rotorua Taupo senior reserve grade final between Eastern Pirates and GM Painters Lake Taupo CC 2nd Xl at Ray Boord Park.
Rotorua's Eastern Pirates suffered a devastating defeat in the pre-Christmas Rotorua/Taupo senior reserve grade trophy final.
The crucial match came right down to the wire as Pirates and GM Painters Lake Taupo CC 2nd Xl battled out a thrilling final at Ray Boord Park in Rotorua on Saturday.
Pirates lost in heartbreaking fashion with the visitors reaching their target with just two balls remaining to win by three wickets off 39.4 overs.
Pirates batted first and set a solid score of 199/9 in their 40 overs, with AJ Hittiarachi top scoring with 45 while Cayde Thomson (35), Jo Wiringi (27) and captain Johnny Wiringi (26) also impressed.
Lake Taupo's Ray How grabbed 3-40 and James Winstanley finished with 2-25.
Eastern Pirates' captain Johnny Wiringi walks off in despair after being bowled by Lake Taupo CC 2nd Xl. PHOTO/STEPHEN PARKER
In reply Lake Taupo looked in danger just two overs into their innings as Pirates' Alan Porter took an early first wicket but the visitors fought back with Alex Davey top scoring with 40no and James Winstanley (38) and Abhi Gupta (20) digging deep.
And, in the final over, the game hinged on a knife edge with Lake Taupo needing 7 runs to win - but the visitors held their nerve with Gupta hitting the winning run with only two balls remaining.
Pirates' Stephen Thompson, who took 2-32 with the ball, said the team were "devastated" and only had themselves to blame.
"We had a bad day at the office. It was such a gutting result," he said.
"We set a really good batting score and everything was set up nicely with a strong bowling attack. But we have to look at ourselves because we lost the game.
"We must have dropped about seven catches and our fielding didn't help the cause. It's a final game and you have to be focused throughout. We were all feeling pretty down and poor execution lost us the game."
Lake Taupo CC 2nd Xl battled out a thrilling final at Smallbone Park on Saturday to be crowned pre-Christmas trophy winners in the Rotorua/Taupo senior reserve grade. PHOTO/SUPPLIED
Lake Taupo club captain Hedley Darlington said he was delighted with the result, and added it was made all the more special considering the side only formed at the start of this season.
"It was always going to be a tight game and it was such a relief when we won," he said.
"We thought we were evenly matched after the first innings and had it in us to chase down the target.
"For the last six overs everyone was pretty nervous but we held our nerve and never gave up, what a way to win. It was a complete team effort and the best thing is we are a brand new club.
"What's worked is we have a fresh new approach that attracted a lot of new guys to the club. What a way to cap the half way point of the season."
Despite the defeat, Thompson said the players needed to move on and target success in next year's T20 and the overall Rotorua/Taupo senior reserve grade competition.
"The message to the boys is to pick ourselves up," Thompson said.
"We have to remember we've had a damn good season so far even, if we didn't take this trophy.
"We have a solid foundation of players and need to push on to at least make the finals of the T20 and overall."
But the Rotorua side will have tough opposition from Lake Taupo.
"The team is full of confidence and so we should be. Now each player just needs to use this momentum going forward and keep the good team spirit going," said Darlington.
Eastern Pirates 199/9 (A Hittiarachi 45 no, C Thomson 35; R. How 3-40, J Winstanley 2-25) lost to Lake Taupo CC 2nd Xl 200/7 (J Winstanley 38, A Davey 40 no, A Gupta 20 no; S Thompson 2-32).
