One of the longest losing streaks in Dubbo sport came to an end on Friday night.
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The Western Plains Automotive Cougars became the first side under the CYMS banner to win a McDonald’s Megahit Twenty20 fixture since December 2011 in what captain Ben Knaggs described as an “incredible” result.
Knaggs joked there were some moments in the field when he was shaking with nerves as his side defended its total of 132 against Christies Crackerjacks.
In a thrilling finale, Ben O’Donnell was thrown the ball with one over to go having not bowled all match.
With 12 runs to win the Crackerjacks were still in the contest but O’Donnell got the job done, taking a key wicket with two balls left, to help his side to a five-run win.
“It feels awesome,” Knaggs said.
“To have not won one in six years and to captain it, it was an incredible feeling and I was glad to be part of it.
It was an incredible feeling and I was glad to be part of it.
- Ben Knaggs
“There’s a really good atmosphere around the club, everyone is enjoying their cricket and I think that showed.”
Knaggs had said he wanted his top order to set the platform and Thomas Nelson (35) found support in debutant Connor Watts (26) to make that happen.
Nelson hit three sixes in his knock as his side went at just under seven an over for the first 10 but from there the Crackerjacks fought back.
Luke Carman took 3/35 from four and captain Joe Haylock (2/13) also bowled while the only middle and lower order resistance came from O’Donnell, who smashed a quickfire 18.
“Tommy Nelson and Connor Watts got us going for that first 10-15 overs and that’s what I wanted,” Knaggs said, before praising his side’s effort with the ball.
“I was stoked. We had a plan and and stuck to it and I was over the moon with the result.”
Key Crackerjacks bats Jason Green (10) and Angus Cusack (4) both departed early but Ed Haylock remained and looked in fine touch.
He made a classy 54, surviving one dropped catch on the boundary, before being dismissed by Brock Larance, who bowled a fantastic 2/14 from four overs.
The Cougars skipper also had plenty of praise for the middle overs work done by Cal Braithwaite, who finished with 1/31 from his four.
With the required run rate passing the 10 mark the pressure proved too much for the Crackerjacks lower order, despite their best efforts of Sam Henry (17 not out).
“I was nervous … but I did have the belief and once we got a couple of wickets towards the end everyone was pumped and I knew we’d get over the line,” Knaggs said.
The Megahit action continues this Friday night with the Amaroo Hotel Tigers taking on the defending premiers, the Castlereagh Hornets.