THE access and use of modern technology kept anxious Sutherland first-grade cricketers informed of their fate and possible semi-final extinction on Sunday.
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Sutherland’s players logged on to the Sydney Cricket Association website on laptops to get the latest scores during the match between St George and Bankstown at Bankstown — 21 kilometres from Glenn McGrath Oval.
After losing the first innings by three wickets against fourth-placed Easts in their qualifying final on Saturday and Sunday at Caringbah, Sutherland’s only hope was if fifth-placed St George lost to second-placed Bankstown at Bankstown Oval.
Bankstown made 339 and Saints, cruising at 1-271, needed 340 to win from 84 overs, but collapsed, all out for 316 after nine wickets tumbled for 45 runs.
Saints’ opener Steve Cazzulino made 109, fellow opener Stewart McCabe (84) and NSW batsman Moises Henriques (71).
‘‘Finishing higher than Saints, we were third, saved us,’’ skipper Nathan Fitzgerald said.
‘‘Had Saints won we would have been out.
‘‘We were checking the websites all the time. Our game finished much earlier than Saints.’’
Fourth-placed Easts scored 7-238 to defeat Sutherland (237).
Under SCA rules, the highest-ranked losing teams survive in the top six.
Minor premiers Manly accounted for sixth-placed Sydney Uni.
‘‘We have to beat Manly and bowl them out as they finished higher,’’ Fitzgerald said.
Sutherland play Manly on Saturday and Sunday at Manly Oval; Easts play Bankstown at Bankstown Oval.
The finals start Easter Saturday.
