BATHURST'S under 16s Mitchell Cricket Council side went down to Blue Mountains during the regular season and it cost them hosting rights for last Sunday's decider.
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That put the pressure on Bathurst to try and turn around the result in the final at Leura.
Bathurst relished the challenge.
In a closely fought match worthy of being the final it was the visitors who emerged 36-run winners.
Just like the previous encounter it was Bathurst who went in to bat first, except this time it was Blue Mountains who won the toss and elected to field.
Jamie Bennett (56) and Ethan Comerford's (21) 65-run partnership was a standout moment for Bathurst with the bat. It followed on from Tom Siede's patient knock of 42 earlier in the innings.
When Siede was dismissed and Comerford came to the crease Bathurst were in a precarious position of 6-114, but through calm batting the team would finish at 9-182 at the end of 50 overs.
Blue Mountains got off to a faster start with the bat but during an excellent second session in the field Bathurst began to turn the match back in their favour.
The run out of Charlie Griffith (31), whose 90 runs sunk Bathurst in their previous meeting, put the hosts on the back foot.
Blue Mountains' final wicket stand of 30 gave Bathurst a scare before the leading bowler of the innings, Robert Jeffries (3-24), found the match-winning wicket of Oliver Freeman (26).
Charlie Hutchings (3-41) claimed season best figures with the ball.
"The result was produced by really hard work on the day, people standing up and doing something special. I couldn't be happier with the boys," winning coach David Currie said.
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"We probably lost more wickets early than we wanted to. Blue Mountains have some very good bowlers. Our middle and lower order really chipped in with the bat."
Currie was impressed with the way his boys lifted in the field when it was asked of them.
"At first drinks Blue Mountains were ahead of where we were after 17 overs. We said to the guys that this was where you win or lose the game and that they needed to reduce the run rate and take wickets and that's what they did," he said.
"On the batting side Jamie Bennett, Ethan Comerford and Tom Siede contributed well while with the ball Robert Jeffries took some critical wickets.
"There were spectacular moments in the field. We ran their best batsman, Charlie Griffith, out with some sensible decision making. Charlie Harris through it to the further end, lobbed over the batsman's head, and the bails were taken off."
