By Justin Flynn
Young leg-spinner Fionn Neeson almost bowled Highton to a memorable win against Grovedale on day two of round 10 on Saturday January 13.
The 20-year-old took a career best 5/52 from 26 overs with the game ending in a thrilling draw.
With the final ball to be bowled, all four results were possible – a win to either side, a tie and a draw.
At 9/156, chasing 161 for victory, Clinton Ford wasn’t going to risk losing three points and played out the Neeson delivery.
Play didn’t start until around 3.30pm after drizzle persisted into the afternoon at McDonald Reserve.
Neeson took three wickets in his first over on day two to set up a thrilling few hours of cricket. The five-wicket haul has helped him to start believing he belongs in the 1st XI.
“They came out really well,” Neeson said.
“There was a lot of assistance from the pitch, which helped. It’s always a pretty good spinning wicket. Each game my confidence has grown and this bowling performance has helped a lot in feeling like I belong.”
Grovedale was 5/44 at one stage, but Jack Wrigglesworth (45) and Josh Windus (29) occupied the crease in an attempt to steer the side out of trouble.
“They fought back quite hard and wickets were then hard to come by,” Neeson said.
“They were really hard to get out. They just dug in and we couldn’t get that breakthrough.”
Errol Burns eventually made that breakthrough and at 9/129 it seemed like Highton had done enough for victory.
But captain Clinton Ford and Nathan Harper dug in and refused to surrender, batting out almost 11 overs for a precious three points.
With no compulsory closure in two-day matches this season, Neeson said he wasn’t a fan at the beginning of the season, but had changed his mind.
“I didn’t like it at the start of the year, but after yesterday, I’m a fan of it now,” he said.
“You really have to fight for that win. It adds a different aspect to it.”
In a logjam for fourth spot, Grovedale, Highton and St Joseph’s are all locked on 27 points, making each point crucial.
The Heat meets East Belmont at Winter Reserve over the next two weekends in round 11.
NEWTOWN & CHILWELL remained in the finals hunt with a seven-wicket win against St Joseph’s. Resuming at 2/50 in pursuit of 151, Pat McKenna made 51 and Archie Bain 59 not out to steer the Two Blues to victory.
EAST BELMONT had to work hard to overcome Lara. Resuming at 3/89 chasing 135, Josh Lacey added eight to his overnight tally of 39 and Will Hiser just one to his 28. Casey Young (3/25), Danny Blatherwick (2/43 from 26 overs) and Daniel Hughes (2/21 from 20) tried hard for Lara, but East Belmont dug in and hit the winning runs from almost 78 overs with three wickets in hand.
SOUTH BARWON avoided outright defeat against North Geelong. South Barwon resumed its second innings at 1/4, still 35 runs in arrears and finished at 7/98 with early rain proving to be a vital ally. Sam Ellis made 42 from 91 balls while Tom Mathieson picked up 3/22 from 14 overs.
