Cricket: Marist v Forrest Park North

Marist take match in the final over

It was almost a case of singing the blues for Marist’s much vaunted cricket side at Forrest Park North on Saturday where they overhauled Hay Park’s 144 off the second last ball and with just one wicket remaining.

Marist can thank their prodigal son, former junior Reece O’Connell, who this season returns to the side after more than 20 years in a leadership position in the powerful Perth major league.

The strapping senior is no stranger to pressure and after a media build-up he handled his role on Saturday with aplomb in a man-of-the-match all round display.

Hay Park bit back into the competition after a first round humiliation with a strong bowling stint but was unable to stop the Blues before they reached the modest total set by the Redbacks under heavy duress from the Marist attack of miserly Mat Anderson, Brendan Boyle, Shaun Bursill and big gun O’Connell.

A solid 30-run start by skipper Jono Whitney and English import Ryan Leybourne was never bettered with O’Connell’s left arm orthodox spinners reaping 2/10 off nine overs until tailender Jono Miller smashed a couple of sixes in a 26-run cameo.

Marist did not wait long to parade their star with Adam Spinelli caught behind off WA Country XI all-rounder Ross Knoll in the second over.

A watchful 115 balls later O’Connell had scored 61 runs, laced with six boundaries, to prop up the Marist list which crashed to the four pronged bowling attack of Grant Milbanke, Knoll, Shaun Bulman and English teenager Ben Saunders keeping the last seven batsmen to just 31 runs which included a match saving cameo by former opener Wayne Murphy at number nine.

O’Connell departed with the Blues needing 12 runs for victory and when Bursill made his exit seven runs were required with just teenage last man Xavier Williamson to face heavyweights Whitney and Milbanke.

With six runs required off the final six deliveries Williamson worked a couple of singles and left the histrionics to his senior partner who kept a cool head to guide his side home with a boundary off the second last ball.

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