WARWICK SMITH/Stuff
Freyberg seamer Cameron Harridge, right, bowls to United batsman Jason McGregor in the twenty20 final, as Freyberg keeper Scott Mitchell watches on.
CRICKET: United pulled the twenty20 final back from the brink to beat Freyberg and claim their fifth title in a row. United won the final by eight runs at Fitzherbert Park on Saturday, but had almost no right to do so after it looked like Freyberg were cruising home. United were unbeaten in the twenty20 competition. Batting first, United scored 135-7 and then Freyberg were 115-2 with 3.2 overs to go. But they lost two set batsmen and United put the heat on at the death, holding Freyberg to 127-5.
“I’m glad we got over the 100 mark, a psychological advantage probably. But finals are weird things and we had runs on the board.” Mitchell was in the team last time Freyberg won the title, when he was straight out of school. He was full of praise for the last-wicket partnership between Ali Akhter and Finn Martin, who put on 36 runs, taking them from 71-9 to 108.
David Unwin/Stuff
Marist bowler Matt Wells steams in against Freyberg. Akhter made 29 from 36 balls at No 9 and Martin scored 5 from 21 balls at No 11 to give them something to bowl at. Mitchell was also pleased with the contribution of all-rounder Thomas Kuggeleijn, who scored a crucial 37 at No 4 in the first innings, then took four Marist wickets.