Sport

Lakers A Reserve agonisingly down in a thriller

By Yarrawonga Chronicle

Mar 25, 2026

Zach Moore (32 off 39) again kept the scoreboard ticking for A Reserve Lakers early in the innings. Photo by L.GARBUTT

Lakers A Reserve went down in a last-over thriller to a defiant Delatite outfit at Beechworth’s Baarmutha Park on Saturday.

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Delatite won the toss and bowled first, tactfully restricting the Lakers to 163 off 36 overs.

It was Delatite’s Mitchell Purcell who struck early in the Lakers’ innings, removing skipper Hudson Gillies for a duck.

But Zach Moore (32 off 39) kept the scoreboard ticking over with the support of Jack Hudson until Moore was dismissed, with the Lakers on just 44.

Andrew Dishot (32 off 53) held his end up but saw Hudson (4 off 38) finally bowled by Pymer, who also dismissed Ollie Cope, leaving the Lakers at 4 for 53.

If it wasn’t for Lachlan Phillips, who smacked a blistering 72 from just 42 balls, including eight boundaries and three over the rope, the Lakers would not have reached a competitive target.

Phillips was eventually dismissed with the score on 147, giving the Lakers hope of a decent total.

Despite the tail falling quickly, the Lakers still managed a respectable 163 from 36 overs.

With the ball, the Lakers battled hard to break through Delatite’s opening pair. The first wicket came when Lachlan Phillips found an edge to Jack Hudson.

Oliver Connell was then brought into the attack and claimed two important middle-order wickets, while Andrew Dishot finally removed Delatite’s opening batsman, Mark O’Loughlan, for 55.

Jack Hudson (3/22 off six), Andrew Dishot (2/39 off seven), and Oliver Connell (2/22 off five) all chipped in with multiple wickets.

But despite the breakthroughs, Delatite continued edging closer to the Lakers’ total.

With one over to go, they needed just four runs to win with two wickets in hand. They managed a single, a dot, and a two to start the over.

With the scores level, a miscommunication saw Sam Bell run out, leaving Delatite needing one run from two balls with one wicket remaining.

The next ball went down leg side but was called a dot, before Delatite secured the win off the final delivery.

It was a disappointing result for the A Reserve Lakers, who had dominated all season, finishing minor premiers two games clear on the WDCA A Reserve ladder.