The 1st XI were unable to consolidate after a strong start and were bowled out for 197.
UK import Neil Ambler scored his first half century for the club whilst Josh Lourens reached a personal best for Coromandel with 47. Captain Darren Coulter lamented the loss of another opportunity as the team collapsed from 4/147 to 9/162 before Coulter (28 not out) found an able ally in wicketkeeper Aaron Garard and they added 35 for the last wicket.
First Innings Win
Coromandel 197Win by Forfeit: the 2nd XI remain undefeated after new club South Coasters arrived at Hewett Oval with only four players.
The curse of dropped catches returned to haunt the 3rd XI.
A total of ten chances were missed, including two during an unbroken last wicket partnership of 33. To maintain their unbeaten run, Mike "Kiwi" Maclean's team will require 177 - a formidable chase on the wide expanses of Blackwood Hill Oval.
"T-Bird" was the leading wicket-taker with three while Daniel Hosking was economical with 2 for 13 from 12 overs and Will Hillier continued his stellar season with two more wickets taking his season tally to 19.
This was the close one - the narrowest of victories, by one wicket and with only eight balls remaining.
Earlier in the day, chasing 177 to win, the team appeared to be cruising at 2/90 with Matt Moulton and Captain Mike Maclean having established a fifty partnership.
However, Moulton was trapped leg before wicket right on tea, having produced a personal highest score of 29. Moments later Maclean (36) was caught at mid off and soon the side was struggling at 5/95.
The tail wagged with partnerships of 14, 22, 21 and 16 respectively for the 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th wickets. Will Hillier led the way with 29 runs including a mightly six over mid wicket and was aggressive in his running between wickets.
A sense of concern filled the ground when Josh McManus holed out to mid wicket to be the ninth man out with the score on 168. Daniel Hosking (then on 15) was joined by Thomas "T-Bird" Bird as team-mates wondered just what was going to happen.
T-Bird had hearts in mouths as he played and missed at several deliveries before launching into a lofted cover drive that found the boundary.
And the end was not without drama: With the score on 175 (and two runs required for the win) T-Bird skied a ball to cover ... and was dropped. One run had been completed and the scores were now tied at 176. With the ball now safely on the turf (and with encouragement from team-mates in the pavilion) a second run was stolen and victory achieved.
On a statistical note:
Daniel Hosking's unbeaten 16 is his highest score for the club. During his epic innings, he surpassed the 100 run milestone.
It was a grand occasion for the Coromandel Cricket Club today as Bruce "Henry" Carpenter played his 400th match.
Standing in at the toss for Captain Greg Kearsley: he called correctly, was given a guard of honour to the crease and then (through tear-stained eyes) cut the first ball to the boundary. A promising opening partnership of 52 ended abruptly when an errant call from club President and 334 game player "Dicky" Hunter left Henry short of his ground with 14 runs to his name.
Hunter later made amends with 72 runs of his own and contributions of 30 by Sam Fotheringham and 39 from first week interchange player Nick Raymond helped the score to a more than respectable 249.
In the Bruce "Henry" Carpenter Benefit Match at Kenilworth Oval, it was younger brother Graham who stole the show with three wickets - the first being his 200th for the club and fittingly caught by Bruce at square leg as Kearsley's team picked up two early wickets in their defence of 249 scored in the first week.
Struggling to break a third wicket partnership which saw South Park reach 2/107 in the 33rd over, Graham was then reintroduced into the attack with immediate success and his team was able to enjoy a comfortable win in the end. With South Park requiring 38 runs to win from the final over, captain Kearsley felt it safe to introduce milestone man Bruce Carpenter into the bowling attack for his first trundle since 15th December 2007.
Graham Carpenter - 200 wickets.
Coromandel 249