Having topped the southern pool, the Bay side played the first-placed northern team, Shoalhaven Ex-Servicemen, at the neutral venue of Sussex Inlet Sports Complex.

Winning the toss, captain Stephen Knight chose to bowl first.

At the end of the six over power-play, Ex-Servos were struggling at 2-20, largely as a result of stifling, economical bowling from the two junior members of the team, 16 year-olds Sean Griffin and James Dickinson.

Griffin, with his left-arm seamers, had batsmen swishing at air, and finished his four over spell with the terrific figures of 1-14.

Dickinson’s ripping leg-spin confounded the opposition batsmen and ensured scoring was minimised in these important opening overs.

Best of the bowlers was Lachlan Paterson, whose crafty off-breaks returned the miserly figures of 2-12 from four overs.

Wily veteran Pat Griffin chipped in with 2-12 from two overs of slow seamers that were as accurate as they were nagging.

Josh Lee, with 2 wickets, again bowled well, as did Dan Smith with 4 economical overs.

Batemans Bay’s excellent bowling was for the most part well supported by an exhibition of excellent and committed fielding.

Griffin senior took two early sharp chances, but the fielding highlight was the skier Sean Griffin held on the boundary.

Ex-Servos were made to work hard for every run.

All up, only four boundaries were struck throughout their entire innings. Ex-Servos could muster only 94 from their allocated 20 overs.

Batemans Bay’s run chase began with a flurry, as big-hitting opener, Anthony Mortimer plundered boundaries, hitting two sixes and five fours in another display of powerful striking.

Mortimer’s man-of-the-match 45 ensured the contest was all but over at the completion of the power-play.

His dismissal with the score on 65 meant that there was only another 30 runs for Batemans Bay to take the match.

Number three, Zac Henstock (21), kept up the brisk scoring tempo and was dismissed two runs shy of victory. Captain Knight remained not out 18, hitting the winning runs inside 12 overs.

The Batemans Bay club should now look forward to continuing their recent run of strong form in the senior grades, with the two-day competition resuming this Saturday.