By David Nagel
Kooweerup has continued its sustained dominance of the Casey Cardinia Cricket Association (CCCA) with a ruthless display against Cardinia in the Premier Division grand final at Denhams Road.
The Demons gave club legend and skipper Michael Giles the fairytale finish to his top-flight career with an 83-run triumph in front of a boisterous home crowd.
The Demons have now won eight premierships in a remarkable 14-year stretch since defeating the Bulls in 2009/10.
After winning the toss and batting first, Kooweerup made 212 on Saturday courtesy of patient half centuries to opener Luke McMaster (60 off 137) and number-five Chris Bright (66 off 141).
McMaster held the Demons top-order together before handing over to Bright after the pair shared a 26-run stand either side of the tea break.
McMaster skied a ‘jumper’ from off-spinner Travis Wheller just five overs after tea, with Bright tucking away his naturally aggressive game to guide the Demons through to the last over of the day.
Wheller (3/48 off 24) and Lachlan Volpe (4/77 off 29) were brilliant for the Bulls on day one, with the pair bowling unchanged for the last 20 overs of the innings, taking a combined 6/61 to keep a dangerous situation under control.
But the Bulls had no answer to a rampaging Demons’ pace attack on Sunday, with Adam McMaster (4/32 off 12.5), Jess Mathers (4/54 off 18) and Luke McMaster (2/42 off 13) bowling the home side to victory after restricting the Bulls to 129.
Alex Nooy (23) top scored for the Bulls, who had six players work their way into the teens but not get through to 20.
Bright was named Man of the Match after his patient vigil on Saturday, leaving his skipper Giles lost for words after the epic victory.
Giles had a falling out with the club after leading the Demons to back-to-back flags against the Bulls between 2013 and ’15…before returning this season for one last crack at the title.
“I guess fairytales do come true,” an emotional Giles said after the match.
“We weren’t the best team all season, but I had enormous confidence in this group that it could get the job done.
“To come back to Kooweerup and for it to end like this…it’s unbelievable really.
“To play in a premiership again with two of my best mates in Wombat (Chris Bright) and Mushy (Matt Bright), it’s something I’ve dreamed of but never thought would happen in 100 years.”
The Bright brothers have now played together in all eight premiership wins since that 2009/10 triumph.
For interviews with all the winning players, and losing captain Jake Prosser, grab a copy of this week’s special edition of the Berwick-Pakenham Gazette.
