Steven Ridley

Union won on the third last ball of the innings against Albion at the Showground's to move to the Dick Hunt Final. In a tense finish Brendon Sidon who was suffering a rib cartridge injury, hit the winning runs of the bowling of Andrew Mills to win the game for Union.

Earlier Albion had scored a total of 195 thanks mainly to 45 extras including 31 wide's. The Albion openers made a good start with a partnership of sixty two but afterwards were constantly losing wickets apart from a 61, 5th wicket partnership and a 27 run, 7th wicket partnership. Michael Pitches was top scorer unbeaten on 39 and Wade Moore scored 36. For Union Neville Donaldson took 3-27 and Steven Ridley cleaned up the tail again to take 2-40. The other wicketakers were Ian Cooney (1-39), John Crombie (1-28), Paul Johnston (1-26) and Tony Moore (1-15).

Union made a good start but looked to be in trouble at 76 for three after losing all top three batsmen, but Gavin Strachan and Ridley (28) consolidated the innings and took it to 124 before losing Ridley to the bowling of Kyle Adamson. Union then lost captain Peter Cameron (6) and Robert Coates (0) for only 7 runs leaving Unions remaining batsmen needing 62 for 4 wickets, with Gavin Strachan still at the crease. Strachan and John Cooney then formed a good partnership but Cooney was out for 15 with Union still needing 26 and looking to be in trouble. This brought in experienced campaigner Neville Donaldson, but Union lost Gavin Strachan for a fine 44 with required run rate increasing every ball and only 2 wickets remaining.

Still needing 15 runs of the last two over's, Union needed to a big second last over to have a chance of taking the match. This spurred Donaldson on as he hit Ballantyne for a six of the first ball, two of the fourth and a nicely timed four of the fifth, for a total of 13 of the over including a wide, leaving Union with three runs to get of 6 balls.

The first ball of the last over was a wide and Donaldson was bowled of the third ball, when Sidon came in to bat.

Player Pages:
Neville Donaldson | Steven Ridley | Gavin Strachan |

Albion 195 ( M. Pitches 39no, W. Moore 36, K. Adamson 24, P. Cartwright 22, A. Mills 17, N. Donaldson 3-27, S. Ridley 2-40 )
Union 196-9 ( G. Strachan 44, P. Johnston 30, S. Ridley 28, T. Moore 19, N. Donaldson 19, J. Cooney 15, J. Crombie 13, G. Ballantyne 4-46, K. Adamson 2-44 )
Union won by 1 wickets
Full scorecard for the match