Griffith have missed their chance to qualify for the Warren Smith Cup final after falling to a 43-run defeat at the hands of arch-rivals Leeton at Yanco Sportsground on Sunday
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After a delayed start which saw the game reduced to a 45-over encounter, Leeton won the toss and elected to bat however they were on the back foot early as Dan Hillan (0) and Harrison Steele (2) were dismissed by Ryan Bock (2/19).
The Wolves were able to rebuild their innings with Tyler O'Connell and Blake McDonald at the crease.
The pair were able to put on 72 before Jake Rand (1/15) made the breakthrough with the wicket of McDonald (29).
O'Connell (40) continued his pushed before he fell just short of a fifty when he was caught by Kyle Bennett off the bowling on Lucas Irvin.
Irvin (3/10) picked up another two quick wickets in Noah Maybon (10) and Thomas Camm (0) while Michael Cudmore (1/20) dismissed Max Yelland (2).
Harvey Gay (22) and James Clarke (11*) were able to add some late runs to see the Leeton side finish on 7/162 off their 45 overs.
In reply, Griffith made a solid start with Mark Bennett (9) and Cudmore (13) putting on 26 for the opening wicket before Maybon and McDonald picked up the openers in the space on nine runs.
Oliver Bartter and Kyle Bennett got their side to 50 before Bartter (13) was the next to fall with Ben Signor and Tom Bartter following closely behind when they were dismissed by James Clarke (2/13).
Bennett tried to keep his side in the match however finding a partner proved to be an issue.
Rand (8) and Bock were the only real partners for Bennett as Maybon (3/14) and Hillam (2/24) ripped through the Griffith side's lower order.
Bennett (42) was eventually dismissed just short of his fifty when he was caught by Clarke off the bowling of McDonald (2/17) to see Griffith bowled out for 119 and see Leeton secure a finals berth with the 43-run victory.
Leeton will now face a tough challenge when they take on Wagga Blue in Wagga on Sunday, February 23. In the two teams meeting earlier in the season in the Twenty20 competition, it was the Wagga side who came away with the win.
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