Combines meet in Grampians
Swifts-great Western will play Buangor-tatyoon for Grampians Cricket Association’s A Grade Mcdonald Shield during the Labour Day long weekend.
Swifts-great Western made the grand final at Stawell’s Central Park after beating Pomonal in a semi-final last week, while Buangor-tatyoon won its spot by toppling ladder-leader Youth Club in an upset in the other qualifier.
Youth Club paid the penalty of not batting out its over against Buangortatyoon, crashing for 136 in the 54th over at Central Park at the weekend.
In an innings that featured five ducks, Youth Club captain Nic Baird was the stand out batsman with 60 runs, with other major contributions coming from Ethan Marrow, 28, and Jarrod Illig, 29.
At one stage the Clubbers were 1-80, which meant being dismissed for 136 was a disappointing effort.
Jack Fraser led Buangor-tatyoon’s bowling effort, capturing 4-15.
At stumps on Saturday evening Buangor-tatyoon was 1-59 in reply with Jacob Bates unbeaten on 38.
Resumption of play on Sunday led to Buangor-tatyoon going on to make 155 and establishing a first-innings lead of 19 with Bates top-scoring with 69.
Youth Club, in a desperate attempt to salvage the game, returned to the crease to produce a quick-fire 3-89 and declared with a 70-run lead.
This left the Clubbers only 14 overs to bowl Buangor-tatyoon out, but it didn’t happen, with Buangor-tatyoon finishing at 0-59, Bates again top-scoring with 35 not out.
At Ararat’s Alexandra Oval, Swiftsgreat Western won the toss and batted, reaching 5-226 after the compulsory 80 overs.
At one stage the Combine was reeling at 5-64 and Pomonal would have fancied its chances of dismissing its opponent for around the 100-run mark.
But a 162-run unbroken sixth-wicket partnership between finals specialist Travis Nicholson, 75, and Matt Heffer, 81, upset Pomonal plans.
Left-arm bowler Lachy Green was the only multiple wicket taker for the Tigers with two.
Pomonal’s innings started with promise with a 109-run opening stand between Clinton Mackley and Luke Jordan, both with 55.
But after the first wicket fell, further wickets fell at regular intervals, and the Tigers were dismissed for 175.
Combine opening bowlers Lachie Patching, 5-40, and Heffer, 3-32, took most of the wickets.
This weekend’s grand final will be over the three days of the long weekend, with the hours of play 11am to 1pm, 1.40pm to 3.40pm and 4pm to 6pm with a minimum of 90 overs each day.
Swifts-great Western would start favourites, having defeated its opponent just two games ago.
However, since then Buangor-tatyoon has found batting form, based on Jacob Bates opening the innings.
The Combine’s batting has fired over the last three innings with scores of 394 against Youth Club, 6-185 against Buangor-tatyoon and 5-226 Pomonal.
It has also taken 34 wickets in the same period.
The newly formed Buangor-tatyoon has reached its first final despite only making the finals by one point.
This means the team won’t lack confidence and that bowlers Michael Harricks and Lachy Oddie can keep the Combine to an obtainable score. against