Team-mates congratulate South Coast Jeffrey Cup captain Ben Mitchell after he ran out Highlands top-scorer Mitchell Granger on Sunday. Picture: DAVID HALL
SOUTH Coast has won the 2012-13 Jeffrey Cup (under-21) cricket competition after a convincing win over Highlands at Croom Cricket Oval on Sunday.
South Coast captain Ben Mitchell won the toss and elected to bat.
After a steady start they managed to score a competitive 196 from their 50 overs.
Michael Arblaster made 22 at the top of the order and Mitchell managed 19 before Lake Illawarra all-rounder Greg Connor came to the wicket and top-scored with a classy 57.
Wicket-keeper/batsman Darren Mansfield also performed strongly down the order with 26, and Joel Gray added a valuable 18 at Number 10.
Five Highlands bowlers took two wickets each.
Highlands started strongly and looked well on target when they cruised to 4/110 in the 28th over.
However a superb piece of fielding by Mitchell, who ran out top-scorer Mitchell Granger (36) with a throw from the boundary, turned the game in South Coast's favour.
From that point onwards accurate bowling by Mitchell (3/21) and Connor (2/19) helped close out the Highlands innings as the visitors collapsed to be bowled out for 121.
Gray (2/16) and Adam Coughlan (2/22) also bowled well for the home side.