Veterans upset St George by eight wickets in latest Kalgoorlie-Boulder Cricket Association clash

Veterans are primed for a big finals series in the Kalgoorlie-Boulder Cricket Association after an eight-wicket triumph over first-placed St George last Saturday.

In third place with eight wins, Veterans cannot finish higher than their current standing with one round of the qualifying series remaining.

But they stamped themselves as a genuine flag contender when Josh Tierney and Zach Stewart led Veterans’ attack with three wickets each that restricted the competition leaders to a modest 9-160.

Blake Gambale (40 off 38 balls; six fours; one six) and Megan Bam (36 off 50 balls; five fours) got among the runs for St George, but they lost 6-16 late in the innings.

Veterans cruised to 2-162 in 21.3 overs on the solid batting of Jarrod Parkinson (29), Mathew Watson (39 off 35 balls; seven fours), Stewart (not out 55 off 37 balls; four fours; three sixes) and Tierney (32 not out off 30 balls; four fours).

Also last weekend, Michael Boucaut blasted seven boundaries and a six in his unbeaten 44 when Golden City defeated Goldrush.

Blake Harte (15), Nathan Fishburn (18) and Rob Mills (20 not out) also made solid contributions in Golden City’s 8-113 in 17.4 overs.

Goldrush pair Garrett Knoll (4-17) and Zach Hunter (3-19) led the attack after the team earlier compiled 111.

Ben Colling top-scored with 26 and Hunter provided the main support with 24 as Tharindu Dissanayake capped off a brilliant spell with 6-11.

Hibernians upset second-placed Sunrisers in the other fixture.

Sunrisers’ hopes of an 11th victory were dented when they were bowled out for 118 in 29.5 overs after three-wicket hauls to Campbell Bartle and Tom Hannagan.

No.8 batter Mandeep Sai Nagavelli top-scored with 29 off 49 balls, underpinned by four boundaries.

In reply, Hannagan (45 not out), Luke Genovese (15) and No.8 batter Kris Thomson (20 not out) steered Hibernians to 6-122 in 28.2 overs.

Aravind Chegonda led Sunrisers’ attack with 4-23.

Round 15 will be played on Saturday with bottom two sides Goldrush and Hibernians still in the finals hunt.

Golden City are a game clear in fourth place and will lock down that spot if they beat St George.

But if they are unsuccessful, a clash between last-placed Hibernians and Goldrush (fifth) will determine the last finals position, with both of those teams having a superior net run rate than Golden City.

Matches at Shepherdson Park start at 11am, when St George battle Golden City, and Hibernians and Goldrush clash at 1pm.

The match between Sunrisers and Veterans is at 4.30pm.

Ladder:

St George 44 points; Sunrisers 40; Veterans 32; Golden City 20; Goldrush 16; Hibernians 16.