There was last over drama at Marespool once again this evening as the Ospreys clinched a third consecutive win over Mumbles, with just one ball to spare.
Having bowled their hosts out for 152 inside 18 overs, the Ospreys had appeared to be fair set for the win only for a flurry of late wickets to leave the outcome in the balance right until the very end.
As was the case two years ago when these two teams last went head to head, it was left to video analyst Craig Maloney to seal the win with a swashbuckling cameo.
With South Wales Premier League side Mumbles batting first, two wickets in the second over, Ben John bowling, gave the hosts an early scare before they started scoring consistently, if not extravagantly, to build a solid score.
New signing, New Zealander Brendon Leonard, enjoyed a good spell with the ball as he took three wickets, including the smart caught and bowled of Jack Shaw on the batsman’s first ball.
Ben Francis hit 54, the top score of the day, before falling to the bowling of Joel Matavesi, before Hanno Dirksen cleaned up the tail with two quick wickets to leave his team chasing 153 for the win.
After losing Matthew Dwyer for just two runs the Ospreys set about the chase, Sam Davies hitting 20 and Ben John 15, to take the team to 52-3. Dirksen added 12 and Leonard 15, including a huge six that left his team-mate Dafydd Howells with a smashed car windscreen, and the Ospreys were 72-5 with nine overs gone.
Olly Cracknell (21) and Kristian Phillips (39) took the Ospreys to within touching distance, only to lose their wickets in quick succession.
That left them needing another 23 runs off 24 balls, with three wickets in hand.
However, the wickets of Matavesi (2) and De Kock Steenkamp (1) meant that the requirement was 16 from the last two overs.
Last time, Maloney hit the last two balls of the match for sixes to claim the win. This time, his four at the end of the penultimate over meant that they needed eight from the six balls.
After a single from Habberfield to give Maloney the strike he duly delivered a big six, before running the single that ensured a win that moved the Ospreys to 3-1 in the series.
Everyone at Ospreys Rugby would like to thank Mumbles Cricket Club once again for their hospitality and their support of our guests for the evening, Ospreys Wheelchair Rugby.