The Northern Territory has fell 25 runs short of a win over the Australian Capital Territory on the final day of the national under-17 male cricket titles in Ballarat.
Chasing 191 runs to beat their Territory rivals, the Junior Strike made 165 to finish their championship campaign.
Impressive performances from pacemen Sam Barker (3/32) and Matthew St Clair (3/25) ensured a gettable run chase after they bowled out the Capitals for 190.
Wicketkeeper Cadell McMahon's stunning one-handed diving catch to get rid of ACT top order bat Hugh Taylor continued his superb form throughout the championships.
The final total was boosted by a 99-run stand between ACT skipper Tom Hogan (58) and Sam Smith (57), who fell to the leg spin of Rehaan Shyamsundra and left-arm seam of Barker.
Shyamsundra and Nicholas Fleming gave the Strike a real chance of winning with a 42-run partnership for the fifth wicket after the first four wickets fell for 43 in the run chase.
The diminutive Shyamsundra, one of the Territory's players of the championships with wicketkeeper Cadell McMahon, then added a further 29 runs for the sixth wicket with his captain Archie McCormick.
But his dismissal for a patient 33 when he miscued a drive against the finger spin of Hogan and Matthew St Clair losing his wicket 10 runs later left a mountain for the Strike to climb.
McCormick swung lustily for his 33 from 34 balls, but smart bowling and good fielding by the Capitals secured the win with six overs to spare.
Coach Tony Judd was proud of his players despite the lack of a win, saying Cadell McMahon's performances behind the stumps and the allround ability of Shyamsundra were big positives to come out of the tournament.
"If we can learn from our mistakes in terms of maintaining the momentum in matches and things like that, a lot of these kids moving into the U19s will be far better for the experience,'' he said.
"There were moments in this game when we could have taken the game away from them, but unfortunately mistakes were costly.
"Cadell's keeping throughout the tournament was top class, combined with good contributions right through, particularly from Rehaan.''
ACT 190 (T Hogan 58, S Smith 57, L Barlow 25, M St Clair 3-25, S Barker 3-32, N Fleming 2-12) d Northern Territory 165 (R Shyamsundra 33, A McCormick 33, M Green 3-22, T Hogan 3-25) by 25 runs.