Protest a winner

By Marc McGowan
THE Berwick City Cougars’ Division-Three reserves side won a controversial semi-final rematch with St Kilda at Albert Park’s Tom O’Halloran Field on Sunday.
The Cougars won a protest against the previous week’s 8-1 loss to the Saints and managed to pip St Kilda 6-4 this time around.
The victory was Berwick City’s first in a final at senior level.
An umpire incorrectly called out one of the Cougars’ batters at 1-1 in the third inning of the original fixture.
The match resumed at that stage on Sunday after Baseball Victoria’s pennant committee members upheld Berwick City officials’ protest.
The decision to protest the call – and the subsequent result – was an unpopular one among rival clubs.
But Cougars president Paul Quinn defended his club’s position.
“A few people around the place were a bit shitty with us, but ultimately we don’t make the decision on whether the protest is upheld – that’s up to the pennant committee,” he said.
“A couple of clubs were disappointed because the game ended up being 8-1 and they thought it would only have been justified if it was a bit closer.
“But, at the same time, it (the incorrect call) threw our guys out a lot.”
Berwick City faces Springvale in the preliminary final at Keysborough’s K.H. Wearne Reserve from 1.30pm on Sunday for the right to play Preston in the decider.
Meanwhile, the Cougars’ Little League teams experienced contrasting fortunes, with the State outfit losing 19-7 to Waverley and the youthful Metro East squad booking a grand final spot with an 11-6 success over Cheltenham.
Quinn was thrilled with the Metro South team’s triumph.
“It’s fantastic. Their best two games for the season have been in the two finals,” he said.
“The team is playing in the under-12s, which is 12-and-under, and basically they’re all eight, nine or 10-year-olds.
“There are a couple of older ones, but most of those kids have at least another two and some three years left in under-12s.” Berwick City locks horns with unbeaten Waverley at Cyril Molyneux Reserve on Sunday at 9am.