Cricket Southern Bayside: Bonbeach wins through to Championship grand final

A shock tactic paid off for Bonbeach as it upset South Caulfield to book a spot in the Cricket Southern Bayside Championship Division grand final.

Bonbeach’s Daniel Van Hees hits out on Saturday. Picture: Valeriu Campan

Bonbeach’s aggressive attitude has it on the brink of premiership glory.

The Sharks are the first team through to the CSB Championship Division grand final after beating reigning premiers South Caulfield by 32 runs in a semi-final on Saturday.

The Bonny boys have won five on the spin — and it’s their willingness to take the game up to rivals that has driven their success.

This was again evident on Saturday when Harley Dale was promoted to open the batting as a pinch-hitter in the shortened 27 overs per side game.

He’d only batted a handful of times this season — at No. 9.

But the punt paid off when Dale cracked seven boundaries in a score of 33 off 27 balls as he and skipper Tom Smith (21 off 13 balls) got the Sharks off to a flyer.

Their 44-run partnership set up Bonbeach’s 145.

In reply, South Caulfield was shot out for 113 off 24.2 overs.

South Caulfield and Bonbeach battle it out. Picture: Valeriu Campan

Smith said the move to open the batting with Dale was the master stroke of coach Shane Hesline.

“I honestly don’t think he’s opened before in his life,” Smith said of Dale.

“Shane Hesline just came up with it and I looked at him as if to say, ‘what are you smoking?’

“It was a bit of a strange option but it certainly worked.

“He got hit on the pads the first two balls. One of them, I gave it out from where I was standing at the other end.

“After that he batted really nicely actually.”

Bonbeach batter Daniel Van Hees. Picture: Valeriu Campan

Jack Bailey made 24 off 31 balls at No. 3 and there were vital contributions from Liam Wilson (15), Daniel Mueller (13) and Daniel Van Hees (12).

Smith said he was confident his side had enough runs on the board and when Dale trapped South Caulfield opener Brad Erasmus LBW for 11, the Sharks were up and about.

Bailey bowled beautifully to dismiss South opener Elliott Bradley for 35 as the home side stumbled to 4-69 and when he ran out Josh O’Donnell they were 7-93.

Dale finished with 3-32, while Bailey (2-33, a catch and a run out) had a great game.

South Caulfield bowler Henry Hall. Picture: Valeriu Campan

Mueller bowled beautifully to take 1-15 off six overs to heap pressure on South Caulfield.

Smith said Bonbeach was playing “a good, attacking brand of cricket” at the right time of the season.

“We’ve changed our mindset a little bit since Christmas,” Smith said.

“We’re just enjoying ourselves really, we’re obviously playing to win flags but that’s not our our main goal.

“Obviously that’s changed now that we’re in a grand final but the last few weeks we’ve just been going out and enjoying ourselves and trying to express ourselves and just have no fear really I guess.

“It doesn’t change at all now. It’s just one more game.”

Bonbeach will have a week off before playing either South Caulfield or Mordialloc in the flag decider.

Jonathan Curtis.

South will face the Bloodhounds in the preliminary final this Saturday.

Mordialloc paceman Insaf Iqbal captured 6-27 off eight overs in the Bloodhounds 11-run win over Bentleigh in the other semi-final.

Mordi batted first and put up 7-156 off their 40 overs, with Ryan Morris (44), Jakob Woinarski (34no) and Helitha Withanage (22) making crucial contributions.

Brendan Drew was the pick of the Bentleigh bowlers with 3-26.

In reply, Bentleigh lost Shane Jeffree for a duck, LBW to Iqbal.

Opener Rob Ciccarella dug in to make 52 off 79 balls but when he was bowled by Iqbal the Demons were 4-88.

Drew loomed as a match winner for Bentleigh, making 35 off 56 balls, but when he was caught at slip from the bowling of spinner Mat Campbell, Mordialloc sensed victory and took four wickets for four runs in a match winning 15-minute period.

Bentleigh fell short at 8-144.

In Division 1, Mentone became the first team to proceed to the grand final after beating McKinnon in a semi-final.

Simon Cormie, with 44 at the top of the list, top scored as the Tigers put up 134. Comrey Edgeworth made 27.

In reply, McKinnon was shot out for 117, with Mentone new ball bowler Ed McGarry grabbing 5-29 off eight overs.

Christian Eva took the crucial wicket of McKinnon’s Wade King for 39.

The other semi-final between Parkdale United and Brighton District was washed out, a disappointing end to the season for the Dragons.