The Sportsground played host to a low-scoring but still enthralling affair that saw a number of momentum shifts before Colts’ vaunted bowling attack proved to be the difference between the sides.

They were able to roll Redbacks for 114 in the first innings and kept them to 8-107 in their second, before the batsmen did enough to ensure there would be no dramatic collapse.

The two sides agreed to call time on the game with Colts 3-59 in their second dig.

“It was a great effort. We got off to a good start with a wicket in the second over of the game and stayed on top for the rest of their innings,” winning captain Daniel Casey said.

“They hit back, we were in real trouble at the end of day one at 5-49 but fortunately we dug in and took our time and got home. A few guys had to curb the way they normally bat, but we got there.

“Redbacks deserve a lot of credit too for setting us a target in the second dig and making a real game of it.”

When Casey called correctly at the toss, predictably he sent Redbacks in to bat in an attempt to continue his attack’s massive burst of form over the competition’s closing weeks.

It was justified immediately when Matt Lawson removed Greg Adams for four in the second over, and the wickets continued to pile up.

Joey Coughlan (18), Kirby Earle (14), Scott Rice (nought) and Matt Willis (six) all fell in quick time, the latter from a run-out that saw Redbacks slip to 5-49.

That became 6-55 when their captain Ben Orme was dismissed for two.

Shabbir Dhamani represented his team’s last real hope of a defendable target, and he briefly got a partnership going with John Rudge (10) before they both fell, Dhamani making 40.

In removing City for 114, Colts got good returns from Matt Stephens who bagged 4-42, while Paul Clancy exemplified his team’s bowling depth to pick up 3-5.

City needed early wickets to have a chance and they got them, removing Henry Shoemark (nought), Callum Hotham (eight), Connor Hotham (three), and nightwatchman Craig Hanrahan (one).

A big blow came with the loss of Clancy for 24, and they went to stumps in real trouble at 5-49 with Casey and Craig Berry the not-out batsmen.

Early on day two, Berry fell for 13 and hopes were growing for Redbacks that they could find a way to win the first innings.

Casey was proving stubborn, however, and the real kicker for Colts came in the form of Tony Clancy.

A player known for his ability to perform in big games, he took the attack back to Redbacks and dominated a 54-run stand with Casey, scoring 40 of them and taking his team to within a run of Redbacks’ total.

Casey (29) and Stephens (six) saw them to victory, but to Redbacks’ credit they rallied and finished their opponents off for 139 in 67 overs, a sign of how hard they had to work, earning a lead of 25.

Adam Orme starred for his team, taking 5-49 from 19 overs while his brother dug deep in a big captain’s performance, taking 3-43 from 22.

Needing quick runs desperately to try and make a second innings contest, Redbacks were in collapse mode again the second time around, though Joey Coughlan (37) found the going a bit easier.

Ben Orme clobbered four enormous sixes in an unbeaten 33 but needed time to bowl out Colts once more, and declared at 8-107, a lead of 82 as Stephens (three) and Lawson (four) did the damage with the ball.

Colts lost Paul Clancy to Ben Orme in the first over of the chase and wobbled slightly at 3-31, but Callum Hotham (28 not out) and Casey (four not out) saw them to safety.

“It is awesome to have guys like Tony Clancy that can come into the team for the last couple of games of the season and do the job the way he did,” Casey said. 

“It is sad that blokes like Jeff Clancy or Simon Little have to miss out with injury, or Olly Shoemark, who was our 12th man today, but they’re all part of this and we are going to enjoy the celebrations.”