TUGGERANONG has given itself an outside chance of snatching the last spot in the Cricket ACT first-grade competition finals after North-Canberra Gungahlin and ANU stumbled in their bids to lock in finals berths.
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Norths finished the first day of their rain-affected two-day game with Tuggeranong on Saturday reeling at 9-118, while ANU is 9-202 in its match with Weston Creek Molonglo.
Both teams are tied in fourth place on the table on 16 points going into the final round of the season, with ANU narrowly ahead on percentage.
Tuggeranong is seventh, but would leap ahead of both of its rivals with an outright win and if Weston Creek claims first-innings points against ANU.
Norths captain Andrew Barnett said anything was possible if it put on a decent last-wicket partnership combined with a few early breakthroughs with the ball.
''Nothing's impossible in cricket, we've just got to back ourselves and try and bowl them out for less,'' Barnett said.
''We've got to stay aggressive.
''Hopefully we can eke out some more runs and do some damage early on.''
ACT Comets spinner Shane Devoy was the pick of the Tuggeranong bowlers with figures of 5-29.
At ANU Oval, ANU batsman Owen Chivers followed up his mid-week half-century for the ACT with another classy innings to keep his side in the hunt.
Chivers top-scored with 84 to give ANU hope of setting a competitive target for Weston Creek to chase next Saturday.
''It'd be nice to definitely get a few more, but we'll have to bowl well to defend that,'' Chivers said.
''Creek bowled well, set good fields and it wasn't easy to score.
''Three-hundred would have been the perfect score, but considering how we started it's not too bad.''
Chivers made 58 for the ACT in the three-day match with the NSW second XI during the week.
Ginninderra, equal with Tuggeranong on eight points, is a remote shot of securing the outright win it needs, set to resume at 1-12 in reply to Wests/UC's 192.
Paceman Cameron Suidgeest continued his impressive season with four wickets, while Beau McClintock top-scored for Wests with 39 as six batsman made more than 20.
The match between Eastlake and Queanbeyan appears headed for a draw.
Eastlake is 4-85 after rain cut short proceedings early at Freebody Oval.
Queanbeyan has wrapped up the minor premiership, while Eastlake is level with Wests/UC in second place.
