Saturday saw the Bushrangers host the Wangaratta-based side in the final round of T20’s before the top two sides advanced to the short format decider, and with the Rovers in contention for a grand final berth, the Bushies spoiled their party, claiming a six-wicket win with the highest successful run chase witnessed throughout the entire competition.
Having lost the toss and been asked to bowl, Benalla made immediate inroads with the new ball, as Conor Brodie (1-17) struck with the final ball of the first over to remove Rovers’ opener Jordan Hansted, as the visitors slumped to 1-1.
From there, however, the Rovers batters got a strong foothold and went to work with the willow piling on 68 runs for the second wicket, Charith Perera proving particularly destructive with his 47 runs coming from 28 deliveries, with eight boundaries contributing heavily to his total.
Dale Stratton (3-29) found the pivotal breakthrough in the 10th over, though, removing Perera via LBW to reduce the visitors to 2-68, before going on to claim the next two scalps, which would both come in the 14th over, as Rovers found themselves at 4-99 with six overs remaining,
The Bushrangers had dragged themselves back into the contest, but were unable to get on top of their opponent, as the unrelenting scoring continued and the visitors picked up the run rate following the double dismissal, accelerating from seven to eight and a half runs per over.
While Mitchell Wheelens did his best to stem the flow, snaring two wickets for the Bushrangers in the penultimate over, the damage had been done, with the Rovers posting a total of 6-150 after 20 overs and setting Benalla a target of 151 for victory.
Already tasked with setting a new record for the highest successful total chased down in a T20 this season, the Bushrangers’ assignment was made even harder by the early dismissal of skipper Brayden Stepien, who had led the charge with an unbeaten 66 in Benalla’s only T20 win, which also came when batting second in round two.
But Vishal Sharma filled the gap with aplomb, joining Jonty Priest at the crease, before promptly setting the game alight with a dazzling knock.
Facing only 19 balls, Sharma whacked the visiting bowling attack every which way, finding the boundary rope on five occasions, and clearing it a further four times, as he belted a remarkable 50, before holing out the very next ball after raising his bat.
All up Sharma was in the middle for a touch more than five overs, with the Bushrangers scoring at 11 runs per over while he was out there, although his departure left the home side at 2-62, still needing 89 runs victory off 12.4 overs.
Priest, who had the best seat in the house for Sharma’s antics at the non-striker’s end, worked his way into the contest nicely, and while he didn’t score as freely as the half-centurion, he still continued along with a strike-rate of 93.61, ticking the scoreboard over as new partner James Carboon pushed the pace.
Together the duo added 53 runs for the third wicket, 31 coming off the blade of Carboon before he was removed 36 runs shy of victory, as Benalla fell to 3-115.
Dylan Barber took up the mantle comfortably, though, and together with Priest, took the Bushrangers to the cusp of victory, before his knock too came to an end on 17.
It mattered little, though, as the pair had taken Benalla to 4-150 in the 19th over, allowing Brodie to hit the winning single off his first ball at the crease, with the Bushrangers claiming a brilliant six-wicket win with eight balls to spare, completing the highest run chase across the four rounds of the WDCA A grade T20 format.
Priest finished not out on 44 from 47 deliveries in a brilliant knock that proved equally as important as Sharma’s quickfire 50, as the Bushrangers notched win number two of the short format campaign to slot into fourth spot on the ladder.
The victory also denied Rovers United Bruck a shot at the title, with the visiting side condemned to third spot on the ladder following their loss, with the unbeaten Yarrawonga-Mulwala to face Wangaratta Magpies this Saturday in the decider after finishing first and second, respectively.
Benalla now enters the Christmas break before attention returns to the 45-over one day contests on January 10, with the Bushrangers to travel to Victoria Park in Yarrawonga for the first game back after the festive period.
