Coro Cougars will head into Christmas on top of the GDCA first grade table after picking up a four-wicket win over Exies Eagles.
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The Eagles won the toss and elected to at however they weren't able to make the start they would have been chasing.
Aditha Jayasuriya (0) fell to the bowling of Mitch Williams-Hedges in the second over while Alex Flood claimed Phil Burge (0) three overs later.
Craig Burge and Hayden Forner tried to get their side back on track with a 33-run partnership before Dean Bennett struck to remove Burge (26).
Connor Bock joined Forner out in the middle, and after a 20-run stand, Bock (9) was run out by Bennett while the off-spinner claimed his second wicket off the day soon after when he knocked over Marc Tucker (0).
James Roche and Forner were able to get their side past the 100-mark before Forner (42) was dismissed by Rob Rand.
Roche (52*) finished with an unbeaten fifty as Alex Flood (3/40) returned to the attack to claim the wickets of Bryce Rogers (6) and Duane Ashcroft (0) as the Eagles reached the end of their 40 overs on 9/161.
The Eagles were able to make a great start with the ball as Ashcroft claimed the wicket of Williams-Hedges (0) in the second over while found himself on a hat-trick in his next over with the wickets of Bennett (17) and Rob Rand (0).
Harry Steele was able to see off the hat-trick delivery and looked to get his side back on track with captain Haydn Pascoe.
Over the next 15 overs, the fourth-wicket pairing was able to put on 61 runs before Steele (20) was caught by Rogers off the bowling of Jayasuriya (1/34).
Damien Walker joined Pascoe, and the pair were able to ensure the Cougars remained on track for victory.
The pair got their side to within 16 runs of victory with 10 overs remaining before Pascoe (66) was caught off the bowling of Andy Arnold (1/44) while Walker (35) followed in the next over when he was trapped in front by Tucker (1/32).
Ben Signor (6*) and Jake Rand (9*) were able to guide their side to a four-wicket win with 3.1 overs remaining.
The win sees the Cougars head into the break just one point ahead of Leagues.
The first grade competition will resume on January 9 with the Cougars taking on Diggers while Exies Eagles will take on Leagues.
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