The Bay side’s two Gavins – Ladmore and Smart – combined to leave Anthony Hartshorn well short of his crease with just three balls remaining, and with Tuross needing four for victory. 

It was perhaps a fitting way to end the blockbuster match after the Tigers secured three other run-outs earlier in Tuross Head’s innings.

The Tigers batted first after their captain won the toss and the visitors soon discovered that on an unpredictable Kyla Oval wicket, runs were hard to come by. 

Opening pair Paul Gallen and Ladmore dug in, however, and got their team off to a good start by putting on a 41-run partnership.

Les Roberts-Thompson trapped Gallen in front for eight and then two balls later, Brae Kelly had Ladmore chopping onto his stumps for 27 for an important double breakthrough.

Brothers Gavin and Mick Smart joined each other at the crease but Mick was soon on his way back for a duck when Roberts-Thompson (2/15) had his second LBW.

Dan Smith then put on five runs before he was clean bowled by Kelly (2/16) and soon after Gavin Smart’s innings came to an end on 17 when he top-edged a Barry Jones delivery to fine leg. 

Andy Malcolm played a crucial innings in the middle order when he chipped away at the Tuross bowlers to keep the runs flowing.

But he could only stand and watch as Jones bowled Luke Condon for a duck and then had Lachlan Paterson removed for two after a clever stumping by Anthony Hartshorn.

A recurring finger injury then forced Hartshorn off the field, but when Boyd Brennan took the gloves, another stumping followed when Brad Hancock (nine) missed another looping Jones (4/20) delivery.

Malcolm skied a Nathan Curruthers delivery a short time later to be caught by Anthony Love for a handy 23 before Dan Walsh and under 13s star Jack Gallen combined for an 11-run last-wicket partnership to help the Tigers to 9/121.

The home side’s response got off to the worst possible start when Malcolm clean bowled Carruthers for a duck in the first over.

However, the joy was short-lived for the Tigers as Kelly and Matt Sethi began to chase down the Tigers’ total.

It took a spectacular piece of fielding from skipper Gavin Smart to break the 70-run partnership. His throw from the boundary caught Sethi short of the crease for 37.

After two more quick wickets, Smith rattled Kelly’s stumps to end his fine innings on 38 to leave Tuross on 5/100 with five overs left.

Hartshorn (18) kept the hosts’ hopes alive but found no support from the tail after Gavin Smart (2/12) took two wickets in two balls.