AN unbeaten century from Jake Schutz has fired North Sportsman’s to a sixth-consecutive grand final berth after the Tigers defeated Penola in a high-scoring Mount Gambier and District Cricket Association semi-final at McCorquindale Park on Sunday.
In pursuit of a challenging target of 181 for victory, Schutz stole the show by scoring 101 runs from 238 balls.
His partner in crime was Kieran Ashby, who made 63 runs to build an unbroken 131-run partnership, which took the game out of the Eagles’ hands.
The home side would have entered the fixture with confidence after it defeated North in the previous contest to finish the minor-round season on top of the ladder.
The Eagles’ fortunes continued to build when they won the toss and elected to bat first under sunny skies.
But accurate new-ball bowling from Tim Young, Declan Kenny and Nick McInerney ensured runs came at a premium.
Opening batsmen Jase Bateman and Lewis March were tied down and could only manage 18 runs from the first 22 overs.
But the pair were determined at the crease and eventually put Penola into a solid position, as the runs began to flow once the shine was taken off the new ball.
However, the introduction of Elliott Fisher into the attack brought the downfall of March, who was clean bowled for 18 off 91 balls.
Despite the breakthrough, the home team continued to slowly build its score, as Jack Mullan provided support for his captain.
Although dot balls remained a common sight, boundaries became more frequent and Bateman brought up his half-century in the 47th over.
At 1/92, the Eagles’ hard work appeared to set an ideal platform for the middle order to launch from, but the Tigers bit back hard.
The relentless dot-ball pressure from North’s attack triggered a collapse of 4/8, which brought the game to life.
Mullan was the first dismissed when he edged a McInerney delivery on 15, while Mark Smith and George Kidman both fell for ducks.
The Tigers’ fightback was completed when McInerney claimed the vital wicket of Bateman, whose gritty 173-ball innings finished on 67.
After losing four wickets in as many overs, Michael Waters and Jack Schulz stopped the carnage with a 30-run stand.
Schulz was the aggressor by scoring 22 runs with three boundaries, while Waters was resolute in defence.
But the pair’s resistance only provided a brief respite for the home side, after North’s bowlers hit hard once again.
Jared Strawbridge claimed both batsmen in the space of four balls, while Kenny knocked over Curt Evans for a duck.
With just two wickets in hand and 130 runs on the board, Penola was at risk of setting an under-par total, but Lachlan Jones inspired the tail to lift.
Jones struck five boundaries during his unbeaten 27 and was well supported by Lance Gibbs and Conrad Slabber.
The Eagles’ last two partnerships collectively scored 50 runs, which boosted the total to a competitive 180.
McInerney led his men from the front with 4/43 from 21 overs, while Strawbridge was the only other bowler to take multiple wickets with 2/13.
After North bowled out the hosts in the penultimate over of the day, the visitors’ run chase began on the following afternoon.
The new ball proved a challenge to negotiate once again, as the Tigers did not hit a boundary for the first 65 deliveries.
After scoring just three runs from 43 balls, Mitchell Lewis lost his defences to Waters.
Schutz dominated the scoring during the 28-run opening partnership and this continued to be the case, as Penola targeted the other end.
Aidan Thatcher could only manage seven runs from 29 balls before he was dismissed by Kidman.
The off-spinner also trapped Fisher lbw, who scored from just two of his 32 deliveries.
The three cheap wickets gave the Eagles a huge opportunity to dictate the game, as Schutz struggled to find support.
But he finally found an adequate partner in Ashby and the pair blunted Penola’s momentum with strong batsmenship.
Despite the tireless efforts of Kidman, Waters and Jones, North slowly took the game away from the home team as the overs ticked by.
After the century partnership was brought up from 182 balls, the celebrations began to arrive frequently, as Schutz scored his first ton of the season, while Ashby reached the 50-run milestone.
The pair’s stand remained unbeaten on 131, which completed a convincing seven-wicket win and gave the Tigers a fighting chance of defending their crown in the decider.
