Peaks edge Collingwood Park in thrilling finish as Leaver provides the backbone and Kinnear the final flourish

Rising team Collingwood Park fought all the way but were edged out in dramatic fashion by ladder leaders Manypeaks in the Albany and Districts Cricket Association A-grade competition on Saturday. Park were too good for second-placed Mt Barker last week but lost ground on the competition’s top three as Peaks took the spoils on Turf South by two wickets, reaching 8-192 in reply to Park’s 189. They secured the win only in the last over, getting home with three balls to spare, to lead the table ahead of Mt Barker and Royals. Tom Leaver’s 68 was the backbone of the Peaks’ reply, with opener Seb Stanton (27) and wicketkeeper Alby Berridge (29) making starts but fell just as they were gaining momentum. When Berridge was bowled by Dylan Belward, Peaks were 4-141 and in a good position, but it was not looking so rosy when Kane Pinney (eight), Leaver and Oliver Douglas (six) had all been dispatched for only 20 additional runs. It then got extremely tight as the loss of Liam Davies put Peaks at 8-178, but Ryan Kinnear opened his shoulders to hit the winning four off the third ball of the final over, with Jesse Spaanderman’s opening deliveries going for eight runs as Peaks went for broke. Kinnear finished unbeaten on 14 off 16 balls. Park had elected to bat with Jesse Spaanderman leading the way, smacking five fours and a six on his way to 34 off 33 balls. There were also solid contributions from the middle order who came to the rescue after Belward (eight) and Oli Clark (13) fell early. Buddy Robinson added 24 from 35 balls. Leroy van den Dool also made 24 before he was caught nicely in the deep by Regan Poett off Pinney, while Byron Spaanderman blitzed to 31 off 26 balls but he too holed out, slicing off Davies and being caught superbly by a sprinting Cameron Walsh. Pinney’s pace was troublesome throughout and despite some wild deliveries, including a jaw-high beamer, he finished with Peaks best figures of 3-31. Douglas and Jeremy Stewart claimed two scalps each. Jaymon Spaanderman, Jesse Spaanderman and Belward each took two wickets as Park narrowly fell short.