MPCA 2018-19: Sorrento speedsters Jake Wood and Adeel Hussain lift Sorras into Provincial grand final
Peninsula Old Boys were cruising to victory over Sorrento in the MPCA Provincial semi-final. Then Sorras captain Bobby Wilson threw the ball to Jake Wood and Adeel Hussain and all hell broke loose.
South East
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The sun was setting on Sorrento’s season on Sunday afternoon.
Then came a “crazy’’ finish that, even days later, Sharks captain Bobby Wilson was still trying to make sense of.
Peninsula Old Boys, at 2-162 in reply to 189, seemingly had the MPCA Provincial semi-final under control.
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But they lost 8-25 to be dismissed for 187 — falling three runs short of victory — as Sorrento speedsters Jake Wood and Adeel Hussain cut a swathe through the Pirates batting line-up.
Wood took 6-81 off 30 overs and Hussain 4-41 off 21.4 overs to engineer the great escape. Englishman Hussain has taken 37 wickets, at 10.05, after joining the Sharks in Round 6. Former Heat man Wood has 47 wickets this season.
“Oh, it was crazy,’’ Wilson said.
“I don’t know how it happened. They were cruising, they were just going to win easy and, yeah, I don’t know…’
“We went back to Woody (Wood) and Addy (Hussain) and said, ‘you guys got us here and if you can get us out of it that would be great’ – and they did.’’
When Peninsula Old Boys opener Dylan O’Malley (72) and skipper Wade Pelzer (61) had the scoreboard ticking over, Wilson had grave fears.
“We couldn’t seem to take a wicket,’’ he said.
But a decision to take the second new ball paid off.
“We got (Tom) Feldgen and (John) Forrest just before the new ball and that really opened it up,’’ Wilson said.
“And then we took the new ball and took 4-7, they just started nicking everything and went in their shell a little bit. We missed a run out with five to win…so then I thought, ‘oh, it’s all over now’. Then we got an LBW to win.’’
It means Sorrento will face reigning premier Langwarrin in the grand final at Mornington this weekend.
Sorrento’s last Provincial flag was in the 1971-72 season, when the Sorras made 358 and 313 to beat Balnarring. Sorrento’s side included Geoff Morgan, who is the Sorras’ scorer.
The other semi-final was also a gripping encounter. Langwarrin found a way to defend 163, dismissing Baxter for 130 on Sunday.
Langy champ Mal Coutts was the match-winner, taking 5-16 off 11 overs, after Baxter skipper Chris Brittain (47) had his side well placed at 2-72.
Grand finals, this weekend:
Provincial: Sorrento v Langwarrin, at Mornington.
Peninsula: Baden Powell v Main Ridge, at Pearcedale.
District: Heatherhill v Rosebud, at Frankston YCW (Peninsula Reserve).
Sub-District: Dromana v Tootgarook, at Flinders.
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