By Elliot Stevenson
Kingborough’s finals aspirations have taken a significant hit following a two-wicket loss to North Hobart at the TCA Ground across the weekend.
With just two rounds remaining, the Knights sit fifth, seven points behind the Greater Northern Raiders in fourth.
Meanwhile, North Hobart is aiming to finish the season strongly, despite finals being out of the equation altogether.
Coach Richard Cowlard is relishing to opportunity to provide experience for his young team and says winning along the way is a welcome reward.
“It was an awesome game,” he said. “It's always good to win, but even when you're playing against Kingborough, who is a good side, it's really good.”
“It hasn't been the greatest season for us. We've had a lot of injuries and setbacks with players and things like that.
“And we keep trying to drive those standards and trying to get to win our last remaining games so that we can end the season on that high, but also at the same time, we look to see what we're going to have next season.
“Guys like Hamish Beechey, Trent Smith, and even little Harry Callinan, just to give those opportunities and up in the Premier League to see where they're at, and then hopefully we come off with a couple more wins.”
It was a tale of two similarly productive innings from the Demons, restricting Kingborough to 146 before Lewis Drury’s unbeaten 115 off 287 balls ensured victory for the hosts.
The century marks Drury’s first milestone of the season, an achievement that Cowlard feels is a long time coming for the number three batsman.
“This is his first full season in maybe five or six years, really,” Cowlard said.
“To see him finally getting the rewards for the amount of work that he actually does was awesome to see.
“He gets into his own little bubble and he just stays there.
“And I don't think there's many people in the premier league that can bat for as long as he does and just keep wearing bowling groups down.”
A similar success story occurred in Kingborough’s innings, with Demon quick Nick Potts taking 5/52 off 15.1 overs and continuing his form since arriving from England midway through the season.
Cowlard commended the 23-year-old Derbyshire talent, who has taken nine wickets in his past two matches.
“Nick's been awesome,” he said. “Just the way he goes about the group; he's always wanting to help, looking to work with the younger players.”
“And then on field, he's a true professional in the way he goes about it.
“Just having that natural pace up front. He's probably the quickest bowler in the competition outside of your state guys.
“To have someone like that complimenting Ben Fraser up front, it's been really awesome to watch him.”
University was the only other team to complete a victory in the men’s competition, travelling to the northwest of Tasmania to defeat the Greater Northern Raiders.
While finals remain unlikely for the reigning two-day premiers, the win at Latrobe Oval ensures a premiership defence is still possible this season.
Khushwinder Singh (66 off 78 balls) top-scored in Uni’s 167, before Nick Walden tore through the Raiders top-order, taking 4/23 off 9 overs to restrict the hosts to just 90.
The match played out with Uni skipper Ruwantha Kellapotha making 51 off 58 balls and Greater Northern quick Jonathan Chapman taking 5/20 off 12 overs, but the result was decided on day one.
Runs were aplenty at Kangaroo Bay Oval in a pulsating draw between hosts Clarence and third-placed New Town.
Star batter Mac Wright’s innings was remarkable, blasting a monstrous 208 not out off 246 balls, his second century since joining the maroons from Lindisfarne before the season.
Wright hit 25 boundaries, including eight maximums, and partnered Harry Allanby (85 not out off 110 balls) in a 209-run partnership.
After declaring at 5-398, Clarence attempted to bowl out the Bucks, led by veteran seamer Sam Rainbird (4/54 off 17 overs), but Peter Di Venuto’s side held firm through opener Joe Randall (75 off 197 balls) and all-rounder Jesse Willmott (87 off 90 balls).
The high scores did not abate at Queenborough, with a trio of Sharks displaying their prowess with the bat against Lindisfarne.
Harry Nichols continued on from a century against University last round, hitting 92 off 130 balls, while skipper Sam Voss contributed with a classy 85 off 152 balls.
However, it was season standout Tom Willoughby (115 off 256 balls) who did the bulk of the damage for the hosts, finally surpassing the triple-figure mark on the season after a number of half-centuries.
For Lindisfarne, Joe McGann was destructive with the ball, taking 6/105 off 24 overs as South Hobart-Sandy Bay declared at 9-371.
The Lightning managed 6-219 in reply, with both sides running out of time to find a result and take full points from the game.
In the women’s competition, North Hobart’s successful weekend continued with an eight-wicket victory over New Town at the bike track on Sunday.
Opening pair Jessica Bohn (60 off 93 balls) and Vanessa Dobson (49 off 75 balls) did all they could for the Bucks, helping their side to 191 despite Mackenzie Stewart’s 4/34 off 8.5 overs.
But it was the Melodie Armstrong show at New Town Oval, the opener blasting an unbeaten 71 off 59 balls to steer the Demons home with comfort, despite rain affecting the contest.
Clare Scott also played a contributing role, hitting 38 not out off 32 balls in the win.
The weather was too much in the clash between the Greater Northern Raiders and ladder leaders Kingborough at Invermay Park, a result that would similarly please those of a North Hobart ilk.
It was a largely indifferent day for both sides, with the Raiders posting 9-211 off their 50 overs courtesy of half-centuries from Caitlyn Webster (51 off 74 balls) and Montana Bradley (70 off 86 balls).
The wickets were spread throughout the Kingborough bowling attack, and the batters never got much of an opportunity to chase with the game called off at 1-66.