In a sudden death game against East Doncaster, Ashy elected to bat first. Despite the early wicket of Skipper Dan Nguyen for 14, Jake Falkenberg and Nick Macdougall had a solid 54 run partnership to help get us to 1/98. Jake scored his 7th 50 for the season, his 4th in a row. What a talisman.

Sidak Sethi made 25 and Harvey Paterson made 21 but neither could go on. Disappointingly we went from 2/122 to lose our last 8 wickets for 33 runs. Jake left stranded on 52 not out.

Defending 155, we struggled to get an early breakthrough. East Doncaster were 0/68 before Will Preston bowled out one of the openers. The other opener (and best player) was dismissed by Will soon after, courtesy of a nonchalant one handed catch by Nick at slip.

The opposition were still looking comfortable against our pacers. At 2/111, it looked like Ashy's season was coming to an end. Mobeen Malik has been a revelation with his off spin this season and he put on the brakes. Dan Nguyen replaced Will after his excellent spell and took two quick wickets to breathe some hope into our finals chances. It should have been 3, with Tim Mendis not given a stumping. An unpopular decision. The crowd were up in arms.

With 6 wickets to get and 27 runs left, it looked to be a brave but futile defence of our low total. Fueled by pure rage, Nick Macdougall sent the stumps flying to make it 5/129. Two balls later Nick took a sharp diving catch off Sidak Sethi's off spin to make it 6/129.

With 4 wickets to take and 10 runs left, it looked like a bridge too far. A dropped catch on the boundary looked to be our last real opportunity. Enter Jake Falkenberg. Sends the stumps flying back with his first ball back. 7/146.

Next over, the captain takes on Jake's arm at mid on. Big mistake. Jake throws down the stumps at the bowler's end. 8/147. There's a pulse.

We drop a catch off Jake's bowling at mid off and it goes for 4. Was that our last chance? Mobeen Malik redeems himself 3 balls later with a catch. Clutch. 9/151. Players are starting to think they need to cancel next Saturday's plans based on the reasonable assumption our season was over.

Will Preston who had been our pick of the bowler's came on in the 35th over, with 3 runs to defend. It's a big demand for such a young man. 4 dots. A single. On his last ball, the batsman swings at a wide one. Tim Mendis, still feeling robbed after a denied lbw decision and the stumping call, takes the catch cleanly. Game over. Ashburton Willows 3rd XI win by 2 runs and enter the top 4 on the table for the first time this season.

The plaudits can wait. There is a game next week against Richmond Union. Is there another chapter to this remarkable season? If there is, then it is up to every player to write it and give us the fairytale ending that mere mortals can only dream of.