Final run to grand chance
Homers will have its work cut out for it this weekend when it faces Horsham Cricket Association A Grade minor premier, West Wimmera Warriors.
After the Noradjuha-toolondo Bullants made short work of Homers on Saturday, the Warriors will feel confident they will progress to the big dance.
The Bullants will look to continue their fine form when they come up against Rupanyup-minyip in the twoday semi-finals.
The final two-day round was disrupted by rain on day one, so teams played one-day cricket on Saturday.
The Bullants made short work of Homers in round 15, restricting them to 80 runs.
Ben Anson, Bullants, was on fire, taking 4-8.
Matthew Combe, 2-7 and Anthony Cutter, 2-12 also had impressive bowling performances.
Homers’ Adam Atwood, 22, and Monty Wynne, 17, were best with the bat but could not go the distance against the Bullants’ attack.
A quick 18 overs were all the Bullants needed to make the 80-run target.
Garrett Liston, 31 and Justtin Combe, 20, took the Bullants to their final home-and-away win for the season.
Baxter Perry, 1-29, and Logan Miller, 1-36, were best of Homers’ bowlers.
Rupanyup-minyip put up a solid fight against West Wimmera Warriors but fell short of the 259-run target.
Warriors’ Nathan Alexander fell five runs short of a century, finishing not out and taking his team to its 6-259 total.
Blue Panthers’ Connor Weidemann opened well with 52, but his teammates’ wickets fell in quick succession.
Warriors’ Liam Preston, 4-17, was a tough bowler for Rupanyup-minyip batters to face.
In B Grade action, Rupanyup-minyip and Horsham Saints will face each other in a semi-final this weekend for the chance to play in the 2022-23 grand final.
The Saints defeated Jung Tigers by 38 runs, after a solid performance from Ben Sawyer, 60 and Gary Davidson, 55.
Rupanyup-minyip is sitting third after a win in the final round.
The Blue Panthers batted second against Colts and within 26 overs had overtaken the 114-run target.
Rupanyup-minyip’s Leigh Funcke took 3-7 in a standout performance.
Lubeck-murtoa is coming off a loss and will be determined to bounce back for a second week in a row against Laharum.
Laharum defeated Lubeck-murtoa by just three wickets, proving it will be a close finals series.
The Mountain Men’s Connor Cowan took 4-11, supported by Max Bunworth, 3-25.
Blackheath-dimboola concluded its season with a strong win against the Bullants, with Daniel Collins, 4-14, working hard to keep Bullants’ batters at bay.
In C Grade, Quantong and West Wimmera Warriors will face off, while Homers and Laharum go head-to-head for grand final positions.
Quantong finished the season with a good win against Blackheath-dimboola after Stuart Jose took 5-3.
West Wimmera Warriors played well against Colts and will be solid opponents for Quantong.
Laharum and Homers are also coming off wins.
Homers’ Peter Drummond and Clinton Garwood will look to repeat their 2-10 and 2-14 results from the weekend.
Laharum’s Jordan Matuschka will also be one to watch after he took 3-5 in round 15.
C Grade will play the semi-finals on Saturday, while A Grade and B Grade games will be played across Saturday and Sunday this weekend. This week: Day one and two of twoday cricket in A and B grade –
A Grade – West Wimmera Warriors v Homers, Horsham City Oval; Noradjuha-toolondo v Rupanyup-minyip, Dimboola Recreation Reserve.
B Grade – Lubeck-murtoa v Laharum, Dudley Cornell Park, Horsham; Horsham Saints v Rupanyup-minyip, Coughlin Park, Horsham.
C Grade – Homers v Laharum, Dimboola Road Oval, Horsham; Quantong v West Wimmera Warriors, Minyip Recreation Reserve.
Last week:
A Grade – Noradjuha-toolondo 2-83 (G. Liston 31) d Homers 80 (B. Anson 4-8, M. Combe 2-7, A. Cutter 2-12, S. Oakley 2-26); West Wimmera Warriors 6-259 (N. Alexander 95, B. Alexander 47, L. Smith 26) d Rupanyup-minyip 10-132 (C. Weidemann 52, L. Preston 4-17, X. Bone 2-9); Jung Tigers, bye.
B Grade – Horsham Saints 212 (B. Sawyer 60, G. Davidson 55, D. Puls 4-24, S. Marks 2-35) d Jung Tigers 8-174 (P. Bandara 72, B. Sawyer 2-13, J. Carroll 2-20, S. Sounness 2-57); Rupanyup-minyip 2-116 (C. Midgley 75) d Colts 9-114 (J. Colbert 30, L. Funcke 3-7, C. Midgley 2-18); Laharum 7-108 (M. Bunworth 38, N. Ballagh 2-13, C. Newell 2-20) d Lubeck-murtoa 10-75 (C. Cowan 4-11, M. Bunworth 3-25, J. Hoffmann 2-22); Blackheath-dimboola 7-236 (S. Polack 82, D. Polack 70, B. Marrs 27, D. Mckenry 3-33, R. Lane 2-38) d Noradjuha-toolondo 86 (C. O’beirne 30, D. Collins 4-14, S. Polack 3-5).
C Grade – West Wimmera Warriors 8-188 (J. Gurry 37, J. Crowhurst 35, B. Merrett 31, M. Mcphee 3-11) d Colts 7-113 (J. Crooks 50, J. Dickinson 2-9, J. Crowhurst 2-15); Laharum 2-74 d Lubeck-murtoa 68 (J. Matuschka 3-5, M. Whelan 2-4, J. Hutchinson 2-16); Horsham Saints 137 (R. Kirkwood 59, J. Uebergang 4-17) d Natimuk 61 (H. Masood 3-2, S. Mcdonald 2-7, R. Kirkwood 2-12, H. Crute 2-24); Homers 4-123 (P. Drummond 50, Z. Knight 2-17) d Jung Tigers 8-122 (M. Knight 48, P. Drummond 2-10, C. Garwood 2-14); Quantong 1-40 (N. Caris 31) d Blackheath-dimboola 39 (S. Jose 5-3, N. Gardiner 2-6).