ILLAWARRA CRICKET
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A week after a heartbreaking one-run loss to Dapto, Wollongong escaped with a final-over one wicket win over University at North Dalton Park in round 12 of Illawarra cricket.
The Students were coming off their first win of the season and posted 170, with Luke McNamara's 59 the club's highest score.
Taun Stanham made 40 for Uni, while Geoff Golding took 5-41 for Wollongong, who were 6-89 and 9-154 before Troy Yabsley (55 not out) and No 11 Shane Fanning (3 not out) held their nerve.
Needing six to win from the last over, Yabsley smashed a four and a two off the first two balls.
"We'd lost three straight, so it was huge to have a win," Wollongong skipper Dave Studholme said.
"Troy was the difference. They dropped him early [on eight] and he made them pay."
Meanwhile, Corrimal (123) overcame second-placed Helensburgh (8-101) but picked up just nine points for a "winning draw", after not being able to dismiss the Burgh in a low-scoring, bizarre game.
Despite only defending 123, Corrimal bowled 51 overs and though the Burgh needed only 42 runs off the last 15 overs, they finished well short.
Burgh opener Mitchell McCrea (20) top-scored, while Oscar Oborn-Corby took 3-19 for Corrimal.
Meanwhile, Dapto (5-195) made it back-to-back wins to edge closer to the top four after beating Balgownie (192) at Reed Park.
James Fleming (65) and Hayden Daley (60) top-scored for Bally, with in-form Pat Hammond taking 4-45 for Dapto.
Greg Jones (73) and Dale Scifleet (36) top-scored for Dapto, which reached the target in the 45th over.
"We think we can make the top four and from there it doesn't matter what's happened during the season, it's how you play on the day," Dapto skipper Michael Stephenson said.
In other games, Sam Mattas made an unbeaten 54 for Port Kembla (170) in a 41-run away win over Wests Illawarra (129).
Nikhil Verma took 3-27 for Wests, while in the Red Devils' run chase Dan Bogovac (24), Tylar Edwards (24) and David Potts (24) top-scored.
Steve Sunderland (3-30) and Greg Wray (3-31) were outstanding with the ball for Port.
Finally, leaders Keira (8-198) had a 24-run win over Northern Districts (174) at Keira Oval.
Keira skipper Graeme Batty (65) top-scored while Norths skipper Tommi Bozinovski took 4-30. Josh Colmer (50) top-scored for Norths.