For the second successive year Highlands veterans have finished as runners-up in the NSW Veterans Over 60s Cricket Championships held in Maitland last week.
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While last year's final was severely affected by weather and Penrith emerged as winners, the 2019 carnival decider against Lismore was an absolute thriller going down to the final over, Highlands being dismissed when needing four runs to win.
The Highlands team had progressed through the pool games without too much difficulty, defeating Coffs Harbour, Port Jackson Red and Tamworth.
In the opening game Highlands won the toss and sent Coffs Harbour in to bat.
Coffs made a solid start before losing five wickets in making 146 from the allotted 40 overs with Australian 60s representative Eric Higgins top scoring with 46 retired.
Wicket takers for Highlands were ACT import Tony Paterson (2-24 from 7 overs), Grant Lewis (1-20 from four) and Peter Jensen 1-21 from six overs.
Highlands lost a couple of early wickets in the run chase but Jensen and Chris Ford put on 32 before Jensen retired on 46 and explosive batting by John Lindsay (28) and Ian Bradburn (29) saw the runs made from just 34 overs.
The second match was against a strong Port Jackson side which won the toss and batted posting a very competitive 181 from their 40 overs.
Harry Solomons made 31, Hodgson retired on 89 and there were quick fire contributions from Jim Robson (27) and Rolls (31).
David Wells (1 for 11 from 5 overs) and Tom Purcell, also an import from ACT, (1-34 from 7 overs) bowled economically.
It was a competitive total to chase but after losing an early wicket, Rod van Beek (25) and Gary Whitaker (47) batted well.
The run chase was well completed by Purcell (45 retired from 39 deliveries), Jensen (46) and Bradburn (33) to get Highlands over the line in the 39th over.
Highlands needed to win their third pool match to make the final but it was all a bit anti-climactic when Tamworth were outclassed.
The Northerners were dismissed for 111 from just 35.3 overs with Ford (2-18), Rod Watling (1-18), Mark Preddey (1-7), Paterson (2-20), Alan Drummond (2-5) and van Beek (1-0) all contributing to an excellent team bowling performance.
After again losing a couple of early wickets, opener van Beek showed good form in making 47 from just 59 deliveries and Paterson (20) and Purcell (31) saw Highlands reach the necessary total in just the 22nd over.
So Highlands advanced to the final at Robins Oval against the undefeated winner of the other pool, Lismore.
Skipper Jensen sent the opposition in and the promise of a tough contest was immediately evident when openers Nash, who went on to 41, and Boyd, retired for 47, put on 90 for the first wicket.
There were quick runs towards the end from Drummond and Hogden to get Lismore to 7-198 from the 40 overs.
Highlands had great depth in batting on paper and certainly an in-form top order led by Jensen, so it should not have been too daunting a total.
However it proved just out of reach.
At 2-87 things were looking comfortable after Whitaker (48) and van Beek (45) put on 82.
Bradburn made a solid contribution as did Preddey in quick time to get Highlands to 174.
Unfortunately the wheels fell off when three ducks closed the innings leaving Jensen stranded on a patient 38 with his side falling three runs short.
Despite the disappointing conclusion it was still a superb achievement by the Highlands side to knock over teams from large centres with a much larger pool of players and all NSW areas know they are a force to be reckoned with.
Much of the credit for Highland's participation in the carnival must go to David Wells and Peter Jensen who not only had to get a team together when there were withdrawals due to injury and unavailability but also shared the demands of the managerial roles.
Highlands president, David Wells, was delighted with the team's performance at the carnival.
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"Overall it was a very successful, happy carnival uninterrupted by bad weather or controversy," Wells said.
"Consistent efforts with the bat from our leading strikers including Jensen, Whitaker, Van Beek, Bradburn and Purcell were balanced by miserly bowling from Watling, Preddey, Lindsay, Paterson and Ford.
"However it was the consistent and focused fielding which defined the team's success. Underpinned by warm team camaraderie, all players toiled manfully in their respective roles."
Wells offered congratulations to the Premiership side, Lismore, which he said were "deserved and gracious winners".
"We all look forward to next year's gathering in Tamworth," Wells concluded.
At the carnival dinner Australian representative Peter Jensen was announced as one of three from NSW selected for the Australian O'60s team against England for their November "Grey Ashes" tour.
Peter Jensen was also named captain of the southern NSW team to play England as well as captain of the NSW team to play in the national 60s championships soon to be held in Adelaide.
In addition Highlands' players Lewis, Watling, Bradburn, Van Beek and Whitaker have been selected to play against England for Southern NSW on 20 November at Chater Oval.
