The match, played at Seiffert Oval in Goulburn last Sunday, saw the visitors win the toss and bat, scoring a competitive tally of 178. Cootamundra then bowled out the local side for 172 with the final over.

Cootamundra’s innings was highlighted by Darren Connell who top scored with 64 and Josh Purtell who made 51 not out.

Connell and Purtell were associated in two partnerships that set up the Cootamundra victory. The pair added 72 for the fifth wicket and when Coota looked like making a below par of 139, Purtell and Ray James added 39 runs for the 10th wicket.    

Connell was again in supreme touch, while Purtell having his bat for the season never looked like getting out.

One bowler that caught the eye of the Cootamundra batsman was the Goulburn leg spinner Archie Wearne. The talented spinner who is only 14, bowled in good control and variation and finished with 3-45.     

Goulburn’s tall speedster, Jordan Lees, bowled with plenty of pace and finished with excellent figures of 3-23 from eight overs.

After lunch, Goulburn set about scoring 179 runs for victory. They lost their opener Tom Pender in Dean Bradley’s first over well caught in the covers by Jack Caldwell for two.

Goulburn looked on track for conformable victory with Stuart Wearne and Jordan Lees adding 70 runs for the fifth wicket. When Wearne was dismissed caught in the gully off David Garness for 31, Goulburn were 5-144 in the 43rd over. From a very winnable position, Goulburn then lost 5-20 to come up short by six runs.   

It was a very spirited bowling performance by Cootamundra. David Garness finished 3-27 from his 10 overs, Gene Kessel 2-21 from 10 overs. So tight was Kessel, he only conceded nine runs from his last six overs.  

Going into the final over, the match was wide open; the home side needing eight runs for victory.

Skipper Bradley entrusted the youngest player in the side, 18-year-old Caldwell, to bowl the final over.

It took Caldwell just two deliveries to finish the match, clean bowling tail-ender James Will.

A great game of cricket; with 348 runs scored from 94.5 overs at an average run rate of 3.66.   

The win by Cootamundra sets up their season with at least another two matches before Christmas.

On December 2, in the second round of the Stribley Shield Cootamundra play Wagga in Wagga, while the following Sunday, Cootamundra challenge for the O’Farrell Cup.

In the other Stribley Shield match played Sunday in Wagga, the home side defeated Yass by 17 runs. Wagga made 198 and then bowled out Yass for 181.