UGSCA 2024-25: Towns score thrilling one-wicket win over Lake Grace, Wandering claim fourth victory of season

Towns narrowly avoided defeat in a thrilling one-wicket win over Lake Grace, which came down to the final two balls of the match in round four of the Upper Great Southern Cricket Association A-grade competition on Saturday.

After rolling Lake Grace for 142 inside 30 overs in Lake Grace, Towns looked destined for victory at 4-105, with batter Tyron Miller (27 retired) at the crease.

But Lake Grace found quick wickets through brothers Mitchell (4-34 from 10) and Leighton Smith (2-21 from 6.4) as Towns lost 5-33.

However tail-enders Peter Baker and Caleb Dewing remained determined to chase the total, and with just one run needed from the final Leighton Smith over, Baker got off the mark with a match-winning boundary with two balls to spare.

Earlier, Lake Grace won the toss and elected to bat, and failed to convert their starts into valuable scores.

Leighton Smith (21), Mitchell Smith (34) and Brayden Reynolds (22) all made it past 20 but were dismissed without causing too much damage on the scoreboard.

Kade Maley took 3-7 from 2.5 overs, while Mitchell Ackland snared 3-33 from seven for Towns, who are third on the ladder with two wins from their first three matches.

Wandering overcame a middle-order wobble to register a three-wicket victory over Cuballing in Cuballing.

Wandering were 3-82 in pursuit of 122 for victory but lost 4-23 before recovering to pass the score in the 26th over.

Ben Sherry top-scored for Wandering with 47, while Ben McMillan provided an invaluable 18 not out to steer his side home.

Grady Francis took 4-35 from 10 overs as the pick of the Cuballing bowlers.

Earlier, Lewis Parsons took a superb five-wicket haul, claiming 5-13 from 8.2 overs as they bowled Cuballing out for just 121 in the 42nd over.

Cuballing were best served by lower-order batters Roger Ballard (29) and Byron Blevin (29no), who added 43 runs for the ninth wicket.

In the other match of the round, Williams defeated Wickepin-Harrismith by forfeit.