As the home and away campaign comes to a close and the post-season begins, Central Park-St Brendan’s was tasked with confirmed finalist Numurkah for a last round stoush, and has bruised the Blues’ egos heading into further March action.
The Tigers and Blues were evenly poised after day one, Numurkah scoring 180 all out before taking a couple of early scalps to leave Central Park-St Brendan’s 2-18 at stumps.
The yellow and black quickly put the ‘evenly poised’ rhetoric to bed on day two though.
Tigers coach Tyler Larkin and opener Sam Holland produced a vital 44-run stand before the former edged one to the keeper to depart for 23, but it had set Numurkah scoreboard pressure that would worry the visitors defending a sub-200 total.
Numurkah captain Matt Cline (3-55) got a hold of Holland after a short seven-run fourth-wicket partnership with Connor Hayes, while Hayes’ best was not to show either at Deakin Reserve, dismissed for 18 by Kyren Dawson.
With five wickets in hand and 70 runs to chase, the Blues were still alive in the contest, but Rhiley Lau’s innings was beginning to form quietly.
The previous Tigers opener produced a game-winning knock despite Numurkah’s will to hang in the contest, partnering first with Hayes, then Mitchell Brett briefly, before establishing the match-defining stand with stalwart Ramadan Yze.
Lau would bash a trio of maximums on his way to 69, his final two runs being the pair required to surpass Numurkah’s total of 180, and win Cental Park-St Brendan’s the game by four wickets.
Lau went long and strong the very next ball but was caught at deep long on off Raguvaran Aravinthan’s bowling.
Yze would continue to bat with Brendan Scott for the remaining 18 overs in hand, raising the bat himself on his way to an unbeaten 58, with the Tigers finishing on 7-243.
For the Tigers, they will be hoping to take its undefeated form in the 2026 calendar year into finals, as it plays Waaia, one of two sides to defeat CPStB this season.
Fortunately for Numurkah, the loss has not displaced the Blues from a home final, with Karramomus’ loss to Katandra seeing Saturday’s Deakin Reserve visitors hold onto third place.
Both Tigers and Blues finals matches begin at 12:30pm this Saturday.
THE GAME
Numurkah 180 (Kody Jackson 75, Raguvaran Aravinthan 24, Ramadan Yze 3-49) def. by Central Park-St Brendan’s 7-243 (Rhiley Lau 69, Ramadan Yze 58 not out, Matt Cline 3-55)
STAR PLAYER:
Rhiley Lau (Central Park-St Brendan’s): After a few ordinary starts up the order, someone had to make a big score to see the Tigers home, and it was Lau who put up his hand to guide CPStB to an early finals preview victory.
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