By RUSSELL BENNETT AND JARROD POTTER
WGCA PREMIER DIVISION
REVIEW – GRAND FINAL
KOOWEERUP’S West Gippsland Cricket Association (WGCA) Premier side made history on Sunday at Holm Park Road in Beaconsfield, becoming the first team since the Demons of the 1970s to win four grand finals in the space of six seasons.
And they did it by giving their Cardinia opponents an absolute master class in perceived pressure.
In circumstances eerily similar to last season – the same result, against the same opposition, at the same venue – the Demons (179) were unable to reach the 200 mark after winning the toss and batting first.
But at stumps on the first day, there was still a sense of calm in the Demons’ dressing room – knowing they’d won from a worse position in the 2013/’14 decider.
The Bulls resumed at 1/20 on day two, but then almost cruelly lost a steady stream of wickets throughout the day to be eventually rolled for a painstaking 126.
In the District decider, meanwhile, Cranbourne Meadows (193) climbed the mountain into the Premier division after its 45-run win over Officer (148).
Four years ago the Rebels were dead-last in Sub-District and struggling to even stay afloat, but now they’re in the top tier of WGCA cricket.
Once again, skipper Brent Murdoch (85) stood tallest with the bat after a top-order tailspin that saw the Rebels lose their first three wickets for just 41 runs.
Brother Shane also played a key role in the Cranbourne Meadows win, despite missing out with the bat. He snared 4/47 in a shade under 29 overs of miserly, yet deadly bowling. Braydon McHugh (29), Peter Quinn (20) and Daniel Irvine (23) led the way with the willow for Officer, but Brent Murdoch (2/38) was stellar in a supporting role for Shane.
To their credit, though, the Bullants never waved the white flag as the lower order tried to stop the Rebel onslaught sinking their Premier ambitions.
At Sub-District level, Tooradin (243) echoed Kooweerup’s Premier exploits by winning a fourth flag of their own in six seasons.
Pakenham (195) put in a gallant effort, as shown by a gutsy final wicket stand, but the Seagulls were just too strong from the outset – with Kane Latham going berserk at the top of their innings. He made a staggering 65 from Tooradin’s first 82 runs, while Andrew Proctor (48) and Daniel Hunt (43) were also particularly strong in support.
By contrast, no one in Pakenham’s top order could convert on their own promising starts, with Josh Gonzalez (35) the only one of the Lions’ top four to pass 25 – despite all of them reaching double figures. Latham capped off a stellar individual game with five catches with the gloves, which came despite him not usually filling the keeping role. Tom Bethune was the pick of the Tooradin bowlers with 4/27, while Jason Fisher (29), Shannon Mitchell (21 not out) and Nathan Goodes (23) showed plenty of grit in the lower order.
