Wagga is back in control of the O’Farrell Cup after a two-wicket win over Leeton at Mark Taylor Oval on Sunday.
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Schoolboy cricket Josh Staines led the way to a gutsy victory after coming in with his team in plenty of trouble.
Set 153 for victory, the 17-year-old came in with his team in trouble before scoring a match winning 50 to reclaim the cup.
Captain Joel Robinson was impressed with the role Staines played in the team.
“Stainesy has improved a hell of a lot in the last 12 months and every time I see him bat he seems to have improved a little bit further,” Robinson said.
“I would have been nice for him to get us the winning runs there at the end, but he definitely batted above his age out there and did it fairly comfortably.
“It was good for him and good for us.”
Staines was removed by Daniel Muir with Wagga needing seven runs to win.
However he at was the crease when Wagga had slipped to 5-44, after losing three wickets for four runs, and helped steer the team back on course.
He put on 35 with Nathan Cooke (12) before enjoying a 49-run partnership with Joe Kenny (25).
Robinson thought the partnerships were key to ending Leeton’s reign with the cup.
“We have a lot of all-rounders in the team and while obviously being 5-44 isn’t ideal we were confident and just needed one good partnership and had two,” he said.
The Wolves had won the last two challenges, with victories over holders Griffith and then Yass, but struggled to handle Jake Hindmarsh.
The Wagga RSL quick did plenty of damage to the hosts as he finished with 5-27 off 10.2 overs.
Muir continued his strong form, top scoring with 38, before being dismissed by Kenny.
Matt Dedini (23) was also dangerous at the top of the order while Brent Lawrence (20) and Nathan Carn (15) contributed lower down the order.
Carn also picked up three wickets with the ball while newcomer Steve Campbell claimed two.
Wagga had lost their last two challenges to Temora so Robinson was pleased to win the cup back.
“I think 150 in an O’Farrell Cup is generally pretty good, the outfield wasn’t the quickest, but we knew the wicket was good and was going to be good all day,” he said.
“We were hoping for anything under 200 to start with so to keep them to 150 we did a good job through the middle
“We lost of couple of groups of wickets, but did enough in the end to get the end.”
Now they have to defeat Holbrook in Wagga on Sunday to hold the prize over the winter.
Robinson is set to miss the clash.