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THE Seaford Tigers Cricket Club pulled off a miraculous last-ditch win over a St Kilda Football Club XI on Wednesday night, belting 13 runs off the final over to overhaul the Saints 9-161.
The charity game, which raised more than $3000 for the McGrath Foundation, attracted a crowd of over 500 fans to Belvedere Park.
A swell of pink engulfed the playing arena as fans and Seaford Cricket Club supporters enjoyed Dare Iced Coffees by the dozen.
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Kids recieved autographs and photos off their favourite Saints, while mini cricket matches quickly popped up on the adjacent oval.
This was the second annual Pink Stumps game played between the local rivals that share a carpark, and the Saints were committed to going back-to-back following Arryn Siposs' remarkable innings in 2014.
St Kilda skipper Adam Schneider won the toss and elected to bat, sending ex-Tasmanian stalwart Jamie Cox out to open the innings alongside former Scotch College 1st XI all-rounder Jack Billings.
The classy left-footer was bowled first ball, while Cox, who has 51 First-Class centuries to his name, was caught and bowled for two, leaving the Saints in an awkward spot of bother after just three overs.
Schneider went about restoring the innings alongside fellow rookie Jack Sinclair, before the former was comprehensively bowled for an elegant 30.
Back: Ben Davies, Rob Chancellor, Jack Sinclair, Tim Membrey, Bryce Kellerman, Jamie Cox, Yohan Pereira
Front: Brenton Payne, Adam Schneider, Jack Billings, Paddy McCartin, Tom Morris, Luke Dunstan
At 5-71 after 10 overs, it was time for the Seaford Tigers to wield the willow, reaching 3-94 to take a handy but not insurmountable lead into St Kilda's second innings.
Sinclair, who had looked accomplished in his brief stay at the crease, was bowled for 13, bringing Paddy McCartin to the wicket.
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The number one draft pick cut, hoooked and drove his way to a swashbuckling 43 at better than a run per ball, swinging the game back in the Saints favour and leaving Seaford with a further 68 to win from the final 10 overs.
Tight spells from Luke Dunstan, Tim Membrey and Schneider - plus a well-judged catch from Sinclair behind the stumps - set the contest up for a captivating finish. Despite boasting a plethora of options, the skipper controversially elected to throw Billings the ball for the final over of the match.
Luke Dunstan sends one down.
A wicket first ball eased the tension somewhat and left the Tigers with 13 to win off just five balls with one wicket in hand.
An almighty blow over the mid-wicket fence from the penultimate delivery of the game meant the Tigers required five to win and four to tie off the final ball.
Billings, who had played the game with a smile on his face despite his misfortune with the blade (and in the field), dropped slightly short - a mistake that proved costly as Seaford's Ash Mills cleared the square leg boundary to win the game for his team.
It was a finale that encapsulated the tremendous spirit in which the match was played and delighted the boisterous crowd.
Suitably, Mills (66 not out) was rewarded with the Dare Iced Coffee Man of the Match Award, while Schneider's men were left to lick their wounds and ponder what might have been.
Scorecard:
Jamie Cox: 2
Jack Billings: 0 & 1-13
Adam Schneider: 30 & 2-21
Jack Sinclair: 13
Luke Dunstan: 14 & 2-16
Tim Membrey: 0 & 0-4
Tom Morris: 36
Paddy McCartin 43 & 2-19
Yohan Pereira: 1
Rob Chancellor: 3 & 4-29
Bryce Kellerman: 0-4
Ben Davies: 0-27
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