MOUNT Beauty were caught short in their penultimate regular season match at Eskdale, going down by nine wickets on Saturday.

The game between the fifth and sixth ranked teams ebbed and flowed throughout the afternoon, as Mount Beauty compiled a competitive 8/170, before Eskdale reached the target score of 171 for the loss of only one wicket with three overs remaining.

After being asked to field first, the local Mountain Men turned to their slower bowlers at the start of the innings in their attempt to quell the influence of Power captain Greg McLennan, who currently sits fifth in the competition’s leading scorers with over 400 runs to his name.

The plan went as hoped for Eskdale, as Tim Kilgour removed the in-form skipper for 19 off 25 balls.

All of Mount Beauty’s top five batters made starts, with Todd Jeanes’ 15 topped by Graham Beer (29), Nick Iaria (26) and Toby Derrick (24).

Momentum was halted regularly as the Power weren’t able to build any sizable partnerships, and it took a late cameo from Chris Derrick, whose 31 off only 22 balls including four boundaries and a six, to keep the Power in the contest at the innings break.

Mount Beauty’s bowlers restricted Eskdale’s scoring early in their chase with only four runs conceded in the first five overs and 57 runs from the first 20, but lacked penetration with a weakened pace attack and couldn’t find the breakthrough they were after with the new ball.

Eskdale still needed a run a ball with twelve overs remaining, and their task was made a little more difficult when Emerson Lemkau dismissed Clinton Gilson for 52 with the score at 99.

The arrival of Zac Barrenechea (38) to the crease to support Matt Hill (69 not out) lifted the run rate significantly and helped Eskdale seal the win.

Mount Beauty have now dropped to sixth position on the league ladder and will travel up the Kiewa Valley Highway for the second time in six weeks to face a formidable Kiewa outfit in the final round of the home and away season.