MIL Lel’s middle-order powered the side to an upset victory over ladder-leader South Gambier in the biggest surprise of round four of the Mount Gambier and Disrict Cricket Association season at Frew Park on Saturday.
The Barber Shield contest was delicately poised on the final day, but a fine performance by Craig Lock led the home side to first-innings honours.
Mil Lel required just 72 runs at the start of play and appeared vulnerable after four batsmen were dismissed on a challenging first day.
But when play resumed, Lock and Tom Nieuwerkerk utilised the more favourable batting conditions on offer to take the game away from the hungry Demons.
The pair were not afraid to find the boundary and pushed Mil Lel to within 40 runs of the target.
But South’s attack continued to make life difficult and the reintroduction of Camron Jorgenson caused the downfall of Nieuwerkerk for 20 and gave the visitors a slight sniff of hope.
But any chances of a Demons’ win were dispelled by Daniel Justin.
Justin took the game on from ball one and launched into a match-defining innings.
He hit three boundaries off one Jorgenson over on his way to a quick-fire 27, while Lock continued to go from strength to strength.
Lock scored the winning runs in style when he hit spinner Daniel Loupos to the boundary.
James Dunn finished Justin’s proactive innings one ball later, but Mil Lel’s middle-order batsmen had already done the damage with a 41-run partnership in just 52 deliveries.
With the pressure of victory off the shoulders of the home side, it rubbed salt into South’s wounds.
Lock was joined by Paul Harding and the duo set about batting as deep into the day as possible.
They dug in with solid defence and frustrated the visitors for the next 30 overs.
Lock reached his first half century of the season and continued to find an answer for anything the Demons threw at him.
At the other end, Harding proved just as difficult to dislodge, as he kept out the good balls.
The experienced pair forced South’s bowlers to toil under the sun on a pitch which offered less assistance as the day went on.
After around 57 overs at the crease, Lock’s knock came to an end when he was caught off the bowling of David Vine for 80.
Mil Lel’s team total grew well over the 200-run landmark, as its tail set
about ensuring Harding reached his own personal milestone.
Captain Jack Miller offered support before he was clean bowled by Jorgenson, while Darcy Williamson hung around.
Harding kept the scoreboard ticking over and brought up his half century with a boundary before he fell to Jorgenson.
His knock of 56 pushed Mil Lel’s total up to an impressive 265, while number 11 Tom Smith was the last wicket to fall two balls later.
Jorgenson cleaned up the tail and finished with the best figures of 4/44, while Drenthen also picked up four wickets.
With 13 overs still to play, Vine and Adam Kuhl enjoyed a brief stint at the crease for the Demons.
Vine was in an unforgiving mood and smashed five fours and two sixes on his way to an entertaining 48, while Kuhl scored 18 runs.
The opening pair raced to an 80-run partnership before stumps was called.
Mil Lel’s successful run chase saw it record its first victory of the season, while South remain on top of the ladder despite the shock defeat.
