Optimists' captain Stewart Brew bagged two priceless wickets when it mattered to help his side edge to a 12-run victory over JKN Little Sai Wan in a tight Sunday League encounter at Mission Road yesterday.
Sai Wan looked to be well on their way to taking maximum points from the match after some swashbuckling batting from tail-ender Dillon Silva left them needing 13 to win with just 14 balls left.
But just as the finely balanced game seemed to tilt Sai Wan's way, Brew produced two superb deliveries.
The first shattered Adnan Butt's wicket, and with the next in-swinger, Imran Farcy's stumps went flying to leave Sai Wan 234 all out, 12 runs short of Optimists' 246 for nine. A frustrated Silva, who appeared to have done enough for victory, finished on 37 not out. In the end, Optimists were worthy winners.
Sai Wan only had themselves to blame after some slipshod bowling - 13 wides and nine no-balls - helped their opponents get off to a flying start.
Adrian Ashman hammered 49 runs in a 69-run first-wicket partnership with Brew and later both Jeremy Collard and Anthony Booth continued their impressive recent form with knocks of 46 and 63 respectively.