Hot conditions greeted players for the final of the Under 16 boys SA statewide cricket championships.
The under 16 boys final between the Eyre Peninsula and Adelaide Turf was played at Summit Sport and Recreation Park in Mount Barker.
Adelaide Turf won the toss and elected to field first in the cooler conditions. The Eyre Peninsula batted steadily throughout their 40 over innings to finish with 5 for 141. Ashton Hartwig top-scored for EP with a classy 49 and was well supported by opening batter Ethan Pugsley (37) and Noah Ramsey (32).
In reply, Adelaide Turf started their run chase slowly with tight bowling from opening bowlers Aldridge and Richardson restricting the run rate. Adelaide Turf lost their first wicket with the score at 54 and continued to lose wickets steadily throughout the rest of their innings.
Despite running low on wickets in hand, Adelaide Turf took their score to 140 with two overs remaining and looked like certain winners. However, the EP side wasn't done with yet.
Richardson bowled a magnificent 39th over, conceding just 1 run and taking an important wicket to keep the game alive. EP turned to Ashton Hartwig to bowl the final over of the innings and he claimed the 9th wicket to fall, plumb LBW.
In a thrilling finale, number 11 batter Singh came to the crease and managed to hit a boundary off the penultimate ball of the innings for Adelaide Turf to claim victory.
The Eyre Peninsula bowling was outstanding against a very good batting side who had made runs at will during the week-long carnival. Aldridge was the pick of the bowlers returning figures of 2 for 18 from his 8 overs. Fellow opening bowler Richardson bowled a tight line and length to finish with the economical figures of 1 for 6 from 6 overs.