Veterans throw spanner in Sunrisers’ flag hopes with upset win

Last-placed Veterans have forced Sunrisers into a sudden-death semifinal clash this weekend in the Kalgoorlie-Boulder Cricket Association after an upset victory by 40 runs last Saturday.

Sunrisers went into the last round of qualifiers confident of locking down outright second place and earning a double chance in the finals series starting this Saturday.

Instead, Veterans grabbed an important win that relegated Sunrisers to third place behind Goldrush.

Both teams finished on nine wins, with Goldrush grabbing second place on net run rate.

Hassan Majid led Veterans’ 6-178 by top-scoring with 59 — underpinned by four boundaries and two sixes.

He featured in an opening partnership worth 66 runs with Vasoon Rathikrinda (22), while captain Zach Stewart blasted four sixes in his hard-hitting 40.

In reply, five of Sunrisers’ top-seven got starts but Bharath Goud Kasani’s 28 stood as the highest score when the team was dismissed for 138 in 26 overs.

Rathikrinda led Veterans’ attack with 3-15 and Stewart took 2-15.

Goldrush won their match against St George that earned them second place on the back of Zach Hunter’s unbeaten 41 off 62 deliveries.

Josh Chapman (30 off 32 balls) and Dan Smith (21 off 19 balls) also played handy roles in the side’s 8-120.

Lindsay Pankhurst grabbed 3-18 and backed it up with 25 off 26 balls, but St George were rolled for 67 in 21.1 overs when three of the top-five batters departed without scoring.

Hunter and Matt Cannan were the chief destroyers, each with three wickets.

Also last weekend, first-placed Golden City accounted for Hibernians.

Balaguru Thiyagarajan top-scored for Golden City with 57 off 85 balls and Rob Mills contributed 22 off 27 balls in the team’s 8-156.

Stephen Bostelman claimed 3-30 and teammate Michael Riley compiled a quick-fire 60 off 58 balls, but Hibernians were dismissed for 129 in 28.4 overs.

A direct path to the grand final will be on the line this Saturday when Golden City take on Goldrush in the qualifying final.

The elimination final will be fought out between Sunrisers ad Hibernians, with the loser bowing out of flag contention.

Both matches are at Shepherdson Park at 1pm.

Final ladder:

Golden City 36 points; Goldrush 27; Sunrisers 27; Hibernians 21; St George 21; Veterans 3.