MID North Coast now needs to beat Newcastle Blasters today (January 10) in the final round of the Manning Junior Cricket Association's Stan Austin Carnival for under 16 representative teams.
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Newcastle has yet to win a game from two starts. Today's match will be played at Tuncurry.
MNC lost a thrilling second round encounter to North Coast at Tuncurry, with North Coast scoring the winning run off the second last ball of the game. Mid North Coast needed one wicket to secure victory.
North Coast the toss and bowled and this paid dividends when MNC slumped to 3/17. Wickets kept tumbling, although Bulahdelah's Blake Matheson provided some resistance with a handy innings of 22 (three boundaries).
Clae Wilson was dismissed for 10 leaving MNC 8/112, however, Forster's Emil Drenzla (22 not out) and Andrew Frazer (12*) from Gloucester teamed for an invaluable partnership of 34 to boost the score to a competitive 146 from the allotted 50 overs.
North Coast made a strong start to the reply with an opening stand of 48. However, Daniel Hitchings (4/21) and Clae Wilson (2/28) ripped through the middle order and at 6/98 then 7/105 MNC looked to be on top.
"At the drinks break North Coast needed 60 runs and we needed three wickets, so it was a big finish,'' Mid North Coast manager Matt Kennewell said.
Cameron O'Donnell (16*) then dominated a match-winning partnership of 33 with Campbell Kelly (3) before Kelly became Hitchings' fourth wicket, leaving 9/142. This was Hitchings' seventh wicket in two games.
However, MNC couldn't claim the last wicket and North Coast secured the win and a place in Thursday's final.
Kennewell said a win over Newcastle will ensure Mid North Coast plays in the main game on Thursday. If beaten, they'll have to reply on run rates.
"Hopefully it won't come to that,'' he said.
