MDCC District Semi Final Wrap 12/3/16 - 13/3/16
A Grade
A Grade had a rest week after winning there Semi Final last weekend against Cricketers Arms Hotel CC. The 2 sides will now again in next weeks Grand Final as the Cricketers Arms Hotel CC (4-242) beat The Journeymen CC (10-149) Preliminary Finals. This is the first season A Grade have played in this format giving the teams finishing 1 and 2 a 2nd chance at making the big one.
This weekends final will be played at Waratah Oval No.1 game set to kick off at 12:55pm Saturday.
3rd Grade
3rd Grade finished Minor Premiers after a season were they had 8 wins 4 draws and 0 losses. The boys came up against Newcastle City for this semi and played out at Learmonth Park.
After losing the toss on what looked like a good batting wicket, Our 3s had a hard job to bowl first.
Newcastle City’s opening batters were doing a good job keeping our bowlers without a wicket for well into 30+ overs into the game and our 1st breakthrough came from a run out. With the score on 75. After this wickets fell more regularly however city managed to bat out there overs finishing with a total of 8 for 200 from their 70 overs. Our guys all fought well as the weather zapped all of them, to not let it affect them and keep the fielding up all day made sure City’s batter were not able to run away with the game on day 1.
Best with Ball: Rhys Fallavollita (2-29) & Grant Smith (2-54)
Turning up on the Sunday the guys knew what needed to be done to make the Grand Final and Confidence was high.
The day started not as the boy would of hoped with 2 early wickets falling before the team was in double figures. How-ever Opening batter Zac McGuigan played an anchoring innings helped with innings from Jake Miller, Nick Leahy & Rory Kalnins. Zac made his way to a half century before his innings came to a end with the total on 5 for 136 and the guys back on track to chasing the total down. We then lost another 2 quick wickets which halted our run chase before it was down to our tail to finish the job. Pat Fitzgerald, Ryan Mitchison, Rhys Fallavollita and Grant Smith all went out with overs in the day running out and some great partnerships from these guys kept the game alive however it was Newcastle City’s day and our guys finished 10 for 191 in 68.2 overs
Best with Bat: Zac McGuigan (57), Jake Miller (29), Ryan Mitchison (25*) & Rory Kalnins (20)
Although we came up short I think both teams can agree they both played a great game.
1st Grade
1st Grade also finished the season on top with 14 wins 3 draws and 2 losses and being minor premiers got the choice to play at our home ground ‘Townson Oval’ for this semi-final.
We came up against University and after our skipper lost the toss it was our teams job to bowl first.
Uni’s batting started well as at one point being 1 for 70 before Sam Palmer ran through the Uni’s defenses claming 5 of their wickets and leading the side to bowl out University for 143 in 51 overs.
Best with Ball: Sam Palmer (5-40) & Tim O’Neill (2-26)
With 39 overs still to play our guys ended 6-107, with a few of our batters getting out in the 20s still needing 36 runs going into day 2. Ben Egan 8* and Trent Bush 11* were the not out batsman.
Best with Bat: Simon Moore (28), Pat Darwen (23) & Josh Geary (21).
Day 2 started with a good crowd out to see the conclusion of the semi-final. Ben Egan & Trent Bush started were they left off and batting well together made another 29 runs before a sharp catch broke the partnership with the score on 136. Tim O’Neill came into the crease to join Bushy and the 2 were able to knock of the remaining runs still with 77 overs left in the days play.
Uni’s only remaining hope was for them to bowl us out quickly and set a target and bowl us out again which is never an easy task. But with our 2 batters at the crease giving no chances and some impressive stroke play from Trent Bush (52*) and Tim O'Neill (20*) took the boys to lunch with the scoreboard reading 7-191 a lead of 48 with 60 overs left in the day Uni pushed on but would not take another wicket and the game was called with 46 overs still avalible for play with our team 7 for 232.
Best with Bat: Trent Bush (84*), Tim O’Neill (24*) & Ben Egan (23).
The boys now move on to play Hamilton-Wickham in the big game at No.1 Sports Oval next weekend 19/3/16 - 20/3/16.
We hope you can get to ether No.1 Sports Ground or Waratah Oval No.1 to support both our grand final sides as they wrap up their season hopefully in the best way possible.
Best of luck to both teams.
