St George advance to 2016 Sydney Cricket Association one-day final thanks to Ashton May heroics

St George last won the one-day competition in the 1999-2000 season.

St George made 7-256 against Sydney on Sunday with May clouting an unbeaten 82, hitting nine fours and one six.

Damian Bourke (53) and Steve Cazzulino (40) were the other main run scorers.

Sydney were dismissed for 248 with four balls to spare with May taking 3-24 with his right-arm off-spinners.

Fast bowler Nathan Ellis took 3-42.

The stunning victory will now see St George play Bankstown in the limited overs final on March 6 at Bankstown Oval.

Man of the moment May preferred to downplay his personal efforts with the bat and ball and said it was good the team won.

‘‘St George has a habit of playing in so many big games and finals and it was just more experience for me,’’ May said.

‘‘Because we have had so much experience playing in these type of games I didn’t feel any extra pressure.

‘‘We haven’t won the one-day competition for a while so it’s good to get into another final.

“And it will be a good feeling if we can win it.’’

May said it was hard for him to assess his own performance.

Originally from Canberra, May joined Saints in 2009 and has been highly consistent with bat and ball each season.

‘‘It’s hard for me to single out where I rate the innings that I played on Sunday,’’ May said.

St George opener Stewart McCabe, standing in for regular skipper Trent Copeland who was away in New Zealand playing for NSW, said May’s performance was superb.

‘‘Maysie basically won us the game with his innings and his bowling,’’ McCabe said.

‘‘Ashton batted no.6 and he came in when we were under pressure around the 30 over mark.

‘‘He batted so well, he was outstanding.

“Ashton can hit the ball so cleanly when he is in form.

‘‘It was a good win and good effort from the boys in a tense game.’’

St George’s Poidevin-Gray under-21s team play Bankstown in the 50-overs-a-side semi final at Hurtsville Oval on Sunday.

Play starts 10am.