WA clinch Twenty20 cliffhanger

Bunbury ‘‘Master Blaster’’ Glen Dehring turned back the clock a decade with a memorable comeback to the WA Country cricket team with a match-winning knock at Hands Oval on Monday.

Opening the WA innings against reigning champions Northern Territory, Dehring went on the rampage in their Twenty20 match to open the Australian Country Cricket Championships and steer the home team to a thrilling one-run victory.

Twenty20 clinched by WA

Chasing Territory’s 150 Dehring lost partner Brayden Sutton in the fourth over before sharing an 83-run second wicket stand with debutant Sam Whiteman, split when an exhausted Blaster, on 62, smashed one into the heavens for Brett Gardiner to take a good catch.

From then on it was plain sailing with the wise head of teenager Whiteman keeping control of the situation by stroking a series of singles and the odd boundary in a classy undefeated half century.

Both teams made a strong start with more than 40 runs scored off the first five overs and in keeping with the lightning cricket format raced neck and neck towards the target.

The difference in the two teams was the determination of Dehring, the only West Australian to bring home the title, together with the class of country cricket’s rising star and some solid accurate bowling in the middle reaches of the Northern Territory innings with Kalgoorlie’s Nick Willis taking early wickets backed by Julian Crudelli, Ryan Redfern and Rodney Shemeld.

Like a true Twenty20 match the WA innings crescendoed to a thrilling climax with 18 runs required of the last 18 balls and the Blaster gone.

It stayed at run-a-ball until the final eventful over with six required and finally down to two off the last ball with the Harvey-Benger ‘‘Rocket’’ Rod Shemeld propelling it over extra Cover to scamper two with Whiteman and win the match.