WET weather once again interrupted another weekend of Mount Gambier and District Cricket Association action, with just one match going ahead on Saturday.
But the one completed match at Scott Park saw an enthralling conclusion to the round-three Barber Shield contest between East Gambier and Mil Lel.
A Dion Stratford masterpiece led the Bulldogs home with five wickets in hand to convincingly win first-innings honours.
The home side began the day at 0/33 with another 169 runs required and all results in play.
In contrast to last week’s sunny start, a wet build up threatened to derail the Bulldogs’ run chase.
But the covered pitch maintained its hard surface, which played into the home side’s hands.
A tight Mil Lel bowling line up managed to challenge the batsmen, who were forced to work hard for their runs early on.
It took just 13 balls for the visitors to find the opening blow when Connor Little chopped a Jack Miller delivery onto his stumps for 11.
This brought Emerson Marks to the crease and the youngster knuckled down with remaining opener Darren Whitehorn.
The pair knew any more top-order inroads would dramatically hurt East’s campaign, so they dug in and set about chipping away at the target.
Scoring was a challenge and the pair hit just two boundaries during their 48-run partnership.
A number of key moments kept players on their toes, with two dropped catches, a missed run-out opportunity and even a rare five-run penalty against the fielding side when the ball hit a stationary helmet.
Whitehorn survived several of those chances and approached his half century.
But he fell six runs short after he unsuccessfully hit Jonathan Allcock down the ground and was caught by a diving Kaidyn Weber.
Allcock almost changed the game in a single over after he thought he had the big wicket of Stratford lbw first ball, but the umpire’s finger did not move.
After the nervous start, Stratford did not look back and imposed himself on the match.
He was patient enough to keep out the good balls with solid defence, while he nudged the bad ones into the gaps to keep the scoreboard ticking over.
The reintroduction of Ben Thiel into the bowling attack brought the downfall of Marks after a gritty 22 runs.
Mil Lel sensed an opportunity opening after two quick wickets, but it was slammed shut by the controlled Stratford and proactive Matthew Hastings.
The Englishman was on the move from ball one and hit four boundaries to build a steady stand with Stratford.
The duo wrestled the momentum back from Mil Lel after they put on 46 runs for the fourth wicket, but the visitors were never far away from the breakthrough.
After many relentless overs of toil, off-spinner Tom Nieuwerkerk was finally rewarded when he found the outside edge of Hastings’ bat and Thiel snatched a sharp catch at silly point.
But with just 61 runs required, the Bulldogs were in the box seat with captain Alex Hentschke walking to the crease.
The skipper was determined to lead his men home alongside his former leader and the experienced duo went on the attack.
Stratford suddenly hit his first maximum and Hentschke followed suit with two sixes as they finished Nieuwerkerk’s spell after a series of hits over mid wicket.
In the space of 12 overs, the pair had scored 50 runs and smashed Mil Lel’s chances of victory away.
With a meagre 11 runs left to win, the duo appeared set to push East over the line, but a horrible mix up saw Hentschke’s quick-fire 27 come to an abrupt end.
Ben Hentschke joined forces with Stratford and despite a slow start, the pair went past Mil Lel’s total with ease.
Stratford brought up his half century in style with a six and the Bulldogs declared at 5/214, with first innings honours wrapped up.
The aggressive move forced the visitors to endure a painful 15 overs with the bat and they slumped to 4/44 before the stumps.
The Hentschke brothers combined to take three wickets, while Ben Clark also claimed a victim.
East’s convincing win saw it jump up to second on the ladder, while Mil Lel sits fifth after its first completed game.
