Kilsyth won the toss and elected to bat at Benson Oval, Eastfield Park. Kilsyth’s guest player for the tournament is former First XI player Luke Ivanovic, who is now playing for Ringwood CC. Ivanovic and Jack Childs opened the batting and shared a first-wicket partnership of 49 in 8.2 overs. Childs was the first wicket to fall, caught by Sascha Kelly, bowled by Tyson Elphick for 24 off 27 balls. This brought Andy Solomons to the crease, and he wasted no time in dispatching the third and fourth legitimate balls he faced for two powerful sixes. Thus, after nine overs, Kilsyth were 1/62. However, in the next over, Solomons was caught by Jett Booteb off the bowling of Lachlan Clarke, and Kilsyth were now 2/65 off 9.3 overs, with Solomons out for 12 off six balls. Chris Pahi hit the first ball of the 11th over for six and after 12 overs the Redbacks had advanced to 2/82 from 12 overs. Pahi and Ivanovic then advanced the score to 2/121 after 15 overs (the scoring rate a tick over eight per over). Then, Ivanovic brought up his half-century (53*) off 44 balls with a towering six off the last ball of the 16th over to see Kilsyth 2/135 with four overs remaining. After 18 overs, the score was 2/145 and had advanced to 2/153 after 19 overs. On the fourth ball of the last over, Pahi was unfortunately run out for a well-made 39 off 30 balls, as the batsmen attempted a second run, thus ending a brisk third wicket partnership of 95. In the end, Kilsyth finished on 3/164cc with Ivanovic 76* off 58 balls.
In reply, Eastfield were 2/8 after three overs with Isuru Umesh claiming both wickets, the first bowled and the second caught by Mackenzie Scott-Thomas. First change, Sagar Ahir came on to bowl the fifth over and took a wicket with his second ball, caught by Andy Solomons and Eastfield were suddenly 3/9 off 4.2 overs. At the halfway mark, Eastfield had progressed to 3/46 after 10 overs. However, on the fourth ball of the 11th over, Lachlan Clarke was run out by Chris Pahi going for a second run, and so a good fourth-wicket partnership of 46 came to an end. Clarke scored 20 off 25 balls, and at that stage, Jett Boote was 24*. Tim Asbury, promoted to play his first First XI T20 match, yielded only two runs off his sole over. Kamal Kuruppu came back into the attack and took the fifth wicket, caught by Isuru Umesh, and Eastfield slipped to 5/66 off 14 overs. In the next over, Isuru Umesh bowled Jett Boote for 31 off 31 balls, with the score now 6/68 after 14.3 overs. Spinner Pasan Ganegoda came on to bowl and took a wicket with his second ball when Liam Rooks was caught by Kaml Kuruppu for 16 off 13 balls, to see Eastfield 7/92 off 18.2 overs. Kilsyth’s third spinner, Chris Pahi, bowled the last over, and there was a run out on the last ball following a good throw from Umesh to keeper Will Beard. So, Eastfield finished on 8/94 and the Redbacks had a comfortable win. For Kilsyth, pace bowler Isuru Umesh took the bowling honours with 3/6 off three overs, Sagar Ahir 1/8 off two overs, Pasan Ganegoda 1/1 off one over, and Kamal Kutruppu 1/19 off four overs.
