EAST Gambier overcame more than a decade of heartache when it crawled over the line to defeat South Gambier in a tense Barber Shield cricket semi-final at Blue Lake Sports Park on Sunday.
Chasing 149 for victory, the Bulldogs bounced back from an early scare to appear in control with experienced pair Dion Stratford and Ben Clark at the crease.
However, Startford fell four runs short of the target and suddenly the Demons were back in the contest.
South captain David Somerfield brought his field in and surrounded the East batsmen, who were under increasing pressure as each ball was bowled.
But after many close calls, tail-ender Alec Roberts flicked a ball off his pads to score the winning runs and send the Bulldogs to their first grand final in 12 years.
It was a dramatic finish to a fascinating game, which kept onlookers on the edge of their seats throughout the two days of action.
Despite winning the toss and batting on their home turf, the Demons suffered a poor start.
South’s top-three batsmen Camron Jorgensen, David Vine and Somerfield all fell for two runs each, as East’s new-ball pair Alex Hentschke and Ben Clark made the Kookaburra talk.
Their pace and control made it difficult to score runs and Hentschke claimed his third victim when Dylan Clough was sharply caught in the slips by Emerson Marks on 12.
At 4/38, the visitors were all over the home side, but Josh Thompson and James Dunn found a way to survive.
With plenty of time left in the game, the pair dug in and slowly brought their team back into contention with a 51-run partnership.
Dunn threatened to score another match-changing innings against the Bulldogs, but Connor Little finished his well-constructed knock on 36.
The breakthrough failed to inspire the visitors, as Michael Sims joined Thompson to continue the Demons’ fightback.
Both batsmen used their experience to push the team total well above triple figures.
Their 31-run stand was cut short by off-spinner Marks, who dismissed Thompson caught-and-bowled moments after the batsman brought up his half century.
Despite Sims hanging around to score late runs, South’s tail was wiped out by the return of Clark and Hentschke.
The duo claimed four-wickets each, as the Demons were bowled out for 148, with Sims stranded on 27.
The burst of wickets forced East to bat out a tricky period of 15 overs before stumps.
Openers Darren Whitehorn and Little answered the call and gave the visitors a positive start.
But after scoring 27 runs together, they both fell to Jorgensen in respective overs.
The double strike forced Nathan Gore and Ben Hentschke to navigate the closing stages of the opening day’s play.
The nightwatchmen managed to survive, which saw the game delicately poised at stumps.
Overcast skies and drizzle arrived on the second day, which made the required 111 runs for victory more difficult for the Bulldogs.
Gore and Hentschke continued their defensive approach to ease the visitors’ nerves.
The pair started to look comfortable at the crease as they brought up the team’s 50-run milestone.
But Jorgensen’s pressure proved too much for Gore, who was dismissed lbw for just 16.
Despite Marks settling in alongside Hentschke, South’s bowlers remained interested thanks to their tight line and length.
The home side’s patience was rewarded when Marks was trapped in front by Jorgensen on seven.
Further success followed as the big wickets of Alex and Ben Henstchke both fell to Dunn for two and 27 respectively, while Matthew Hastings also fell cheaply.
Led by Jorgensen’s four-wicket haul, the sudden turn of events put the Demons back on top, as East still needed 45 runs to win with just three wickets in hand.
However, star-batsman Stratford remained and he teamed up with Clark to inspire a comeback.
The pair were solid in defence, but kept the scoreboard moving as tensions mounted.
After fighting hard for 66 balls the duo brought the Bulldogs to within touching distance of victory, but Dunn’s third and most important wicket gave the hosts one last chance.
After the left-armer dismissed Stratford for 36, South’s attack threw everything at East’s batsman, who could not breakthrough the tight ring field.
But after 22 nail-biting balls, Clark and Roberts managed to score the winning runs and give the Bulldogs their maiden grand-final appearance since 2007-08.
