A TON, WICKETS GALORE AND NOW IT’S A GRAND FINAL

Seymour’s century and shared scalps sends Waratah to the big one

WARATAH and Palmerston will meet in a Darwin Premier Grade cricket grand final for the first time in nine years after contrasting wins in yesterday’s semi-finals.

A 138-run opening stand between James Seymour (100) and captain Isaac Conway (59) set the foundations for Waratah’s 124-run win over Darwin in their grand final qualifier.

And Palmerston upset reigning premiers Southern Districts for the second time in two weeks, beating them by 10 runs in a heart-stopper at Fred’s Pass.

Captain Alex Bleakley’s unbeaten 86 at No.5 won his side the match.

Waratah was always in control after the SeymourConway partnership, making 7-256 in its allotted 50 overs and bowling out its opponents for 132.

Only skipper Luke Shelton (43) and Will Anstey (34) made an impression on the scoreboard for a Darwin side worn out by leather chasing after Tahs won the toss and batted.

The win was a triumph for Conway and his players, coming 12 months almost to the day since the club rose from the ashes of disbanding to reach a grand final.

“It’s a great feeling getting to a grand final,’’ Conway said. “Jimmy and I just try to set the standard for the team and put down a good platform, which we were able to do.

“Jimmy was able to go on with it and get a hundred, before Samindra (Madushan 1-19) and Himesh (Sandaradura 1-16) were outstanding with the new ball, and Tristan Glover (1-34) and Madura (Weerasinghe 3-31) maintained that standard.’’

Bleakley described his side’s win as similar to top exam marks – excellent.

“As I said the other week we set ourselves a goal to make the finals and all the young fellas at the club this year did an outstanding job today,’’ he added.

“We’ve essentially got one player from interstate, with the rest of the side young locals.

“Anything we achieve from now on is just icing on the cake.”

Picture: GLENN CAMPBELL Samindra Madushan took an impressive 1-19 from six overs in his Waratah outfit’s big victory over Darwin in the Premier Grade semi-final at Gardens Oval yesterday.

Picture: GLENN CAMPBELL DARWIN PREMIER GRADE SEMIS WARATAH 7-256 (J Seymour 100, I Conway 59, A Chandrasinghe 36; L Shelton 3-36, C Hawkins 2-51) def DARWIN 132 all-out (L Shelton 43, W Anstey 34; I Gange 3-27, M Weerasinghe 3-31) at Gardens Oval. PALMERSTON 8-179 (A Bleakley 86no, J Baker 27; C McEvoy 3-10, M Ninneman 2-34) def STH DISTRICTS 169 (R Clark 38, D Fry 24; C Hyde 3-32, M McDonald 2-16) at Fred’s Pass. Himesh Sandaradura impressed with 1-16 from six overs in Waratah’s big 124-run win over the Eagles in the Darwin Premier Grade semi-final at Gardens Oval yesterday.