THREE wickets in the penultimate over of the match to captain Greg Thomas helped to seal Sedgwick a seven-run win in Tuesday night's EVCA Twenty20 grand final against United.
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Chasing the Rams' 5-149 under lights at Ewing Park, United had started the 19th over needing 19 to win and with momentum on its side with Joe Hartney and marquee player Sandun Ranathunga having put on 47 for the fifth wicket.
However, the return to the attack of spinner Thomas delivered three blows to the Tigers' hopes when in the space of four balls he dismissed Hartney (ct Alan Friswell, 17), Ranathunga (lbw, 27) and Dooley Niemann (bowled, 0).
Equally as important, the over cost just four runs, leaving the Tigers with too big a mountain to climb as they closed at 8-142 in the most competitive of the EVCA's three T20 finals so far.
Thomas finished with 3-37 to cap a solid all-round game after he had also been involved earlier in getting the Rams away to a strong start with the bat.
On a sour note though for the Rams, it was a painful ending to the match for Rick Ladson who popped his Achilles in the final over celebrating a wicket.
The man-of-the-match was awarded to Rams' power hitter Jordan Ilsley.
Batting at No.3, Ilsley blasted 41 off just 23 balls, including five towering sixes - three of which came off consecutive deliveries by Harry Whittle (1-56) in the 19th over that gave the Rams a late surge in their innings.
Ilsley began his innings in the 13th over with a strong platform having been laid by openers Ryan Grundy (50 off 31) and Thomas (27 off 49), who put on 82 for the first wicket.
Marquee player Grundy's 50 was his third-consecutive half-century for the Rams.
Kane Goldsworthy's 2-13 off three overs were the Tigers' best figures, while opening bowler Mac Whittle (1-11) conceded just 11 runs off his four overs of spin.
Whittle also opened the batting for the Tigers and put on 61 for the first wicket with Alex Code (25).
Whittle top-scored for the Tigers with 39 off 34 balls, clubbing three sixes.
Left-armer Lachlan Woodward (2-25) claimed both wickets of Code and Whittle, with the Rams' win providing some silverware during what has been a tough year in the season-proper.
Five of the Rams' six bowlers used took a wicket, including Isaac Carracher (1-4), who picked up the big scalp of Tigers' captain Broderick Williams (16), which left United at 4-84 in the 15th over before Hartney and Ranathunga gave United a sniff with their partnership.
"We've struggled to field a consistent team throughout the season, but we've been able to get most players available in the T20 and it was great that it all come together for us tonight," Thomas said.
United v Sedgwick
Sedgwick 1st INNINGS
R Grundy b Ranathunga 50
G Thomas c Goldsworthy b M Whittle 27
J Ilsley b Goldsworthy 41
R Ladson c M Whittle b H Whittle 12
AM Sheehan c & b Goldsworthy 0
S Stroobants not out 5
DR Elliott not out 0
Extras (b 1, lb 9, w 3, nb 1) 14
Total (5 wickets, 20 overs) 149
Bowling: O M W R
M Whittle 4 0 1 11
M Whittle 3 0 0 26
J Starr 3 0 0 15
H Whittle 4 0 1 56
SS Ranathunga 3 0 1 18
K Goldsworthy 3 0 2 13
United 1st INNINGS
AE Code c Elliott b Woodward 25
M Whittle c Friswell b Woodward 39
B Williams b Carracher 16
H Whittle c Stroobants b Sheehan 0
SS Ranathunga lbw b Thomas 27
J Hartney c Friswell b Thomas 17
T Calvert b Ilsley 4
D Niemann c Elliott b Thomas 0
K Goldsworthy not out 4
J Starr not out 1
Extras (b 0, lb 1, w 7, nb 1) 9
Total (8 wickets, 20 overs) 142
Bowling: O M W R
Q Bentley 3 1 0 27
J Ilsley 4 1 1 29
AM Sheehan 4 0 1 19
L Woodward 4 0 2 25
G Thomas 4 0 3 37
I Carracher 1 0 1 4
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