Eastern Cricket Association: Dunstan Shield and Macgibbon Shield throw up stunning weekend of action
There were batting fightbacks, a 35-year grand final drought ended, one reigning champion was knocked out and one lived to fight another day when a toe injury sent a spinner on his way.
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North Balwyn pulled of a Sunday stunner with the bat, Toorak Prahran put on a bowling masterclass and Canterbury is through to its first top flight grand final in more than three decades — it was a weekend of semi-finals to remember.
ECA DUNSTAN SHIELD
Mont Albert 161 (JA Guley 41, BK Watkins 35, CA Moore 5-50, SK Duckworth 3-64) lost to Canterbury 7-163 (AP Townsend 46, CA Moore 33 not out, HA Stothard 2-30) at Mont Albert Reserve
Canterbury is through to the season-decider for the first time in 35 years after a win over Mont Albert at Mont Albert Reserve.
On Saturday, Mont Albert batted its way back from the brink of disaster, a rearguard action giving it a chance to win through to another grand final.
After winning the toss, Canterbury sent Mont Albert to the crease first and, after crashing through the home side’s top order, the decision seemed vindicated with Mont Albert struggling at 5-50.
But with the innings in free fall, James Guley joined Brett Watkins and the pair mounted a fightback in conditions made difficult by Melbourne’s heavy midweek rain
Guley’s patient knock netted him 41 off 111 balls while Watkins had 35 of 93 as Mont Albert set about posting a competitive target for Canterbury to chase.
Nathan McNally contributed 21 off 53 while Andrew Padbury (16) and Nicholas Adgemis (17 not out) tipped in some late runs as Mont Albert carded 161.
As they have been all summer, Canterbury’s newball pair of Steve Duckworth and Chris Moore were outstanding, Moore picking up 5-50 off 28 overs and Duckworth 3-64 off 33 with 13 maidens.
On Sunday, Mont Albert paced its chase steadily although there were a few shaky moments early at 3-56.
But the middle-order held firm — Alex Townsend (46 off 152 balls in 164 minutes with 3 fours), Michael Forwood (24 off 73 balls in 83 minutes with one boundary) and Moore (33 not out off 45 balls in 62 minutes with 2 fours and a six) — and Canterbury edged over the line in the 75th over with three wickets left in the bank.
“It was a hell of an effort from Chris (Moore) and Steve (Duckworth), they bowled 60-odd overs between them,” Canterbury skipper Andy Mills said. “I think it’s the first time a team has batted 80 overs against us.
“Mont Albert fought back and did really well to get 160.
“Yesterday (Sunday) was a real team effort, we really just ground it.
“As a club our expectations were, hopefully, to make finals and the guys have come to the fore.
“We’ve got two fantastic bowlers and the batting, everyone is chipping away and contributing.”
MORE CRICKET NEWS
CHALKLEYS LIFT KEW INTO SEMI-FINALS
East Doncaster 224 (MJ Bremner 63, CS Crowley 56, R Sayer 35, JP Green 29, AP Smith 6-76, AM Ali 2-54) lost to North Balwyn 4-228 (AM Ali 108 not out, T Meredith 58 not out, E Forbes 48, M Vaiano 2-49) at Zerbes Reserve
Reigning champions East Doncaster bowed out after a fighting effort with the bat by North Balwyn at Zerbes Reserve on Sunday.
Chasing the home side’s opening day total of 224, North Balwyn’s summer looked to be in tatters early on Sunday when it lost 4-6 to go from 0-52 to 4-58.
But in the most important partnership of the summer, Aadil Ali and Tom Meredith put on 170 for the fifth wicket to stem the flow of wickets and then book the Bulls a place in the grand.
When victory was achieved in the 61st over, Ali was unbeaten on 108 off 148 balls with 12 fours and 3 sixes, while Meredith held up the other end to finish 58 not out off 126 balls with 7 fours.
On Saturday, East Doncaster had its nose in front by stumps.
After winning the toss, the minor premier took to the crease first and was off to a flyer when openers Matthew Bremner (63 off 170 balls in 207 minutes with 8 fours) and Cameron Crowley (56 off 77 balls in 115 minutes with 8 fours and a six) put on 104 runs for the first wicket.
With East Doncaster eyeing a big total, the Bulls attack rallied and snared 4-42 to have the game back on an even keel.
Rob Sayer (35 off 64 balls in 106 minutes with 5 fours and a six) and James Green (29 off 71 balls in 85 minutes with 3 fours) made some valuable middle-order runs and East Doncaster finished with 224 in 78.5 overs.
Alex Smith was outstanding with the ball for the Bulls, taking 6-76 off 21.5 overs, while Ali toiled for 24 overs and netted 2-54.
ECA MACGIBBON SHIELD
STC South Camberwell 106 (M Shallue 27, T Gobbo 7-36, J Moran 3-16) lost to Toorak-Prahran 121 (R Paine 35 not out, A Krohn 2-20, B Rodan 2-26, D Di Battista 2-30) at H.A Smith Reserve
Reigning Macgibbon Shield premier Toorak Prahran is through to the grand final after a stunning effort with the ball in defence of a smallish total at HA Smith Reserve.
STC South Camberwell, the minor premier, gave itself a big chance of advancing to the big dance after dominating the opening day of the semi-final on Saturday.
After winning the toss, STC sent the combine to the crease first and ran through them for just 121 in 64.3 overs.
In an even spread of bowling effort, Andrew Krohn took 2-20, Ben Rodan 2-26 and Dion Di Battista 2-30 while, for Toorak Prahran, Matt Gobbo made 24 off 67 balls with 3 fours at the top of the order and Ryan Paine carded an invaluable 35 not out off 117 balls with 4 fours at No.8.
STC then faced 20 overs before stumps and erased 42 runs from the target for the loss of just one wicket.
On Sunday, STC had progressed to 4-92 and appeared to have one hand on the grand final berth.
But an inspirational haul of 7-36 from 28 overs with 12 maidens from Tim Gobbo engineered a collapse of 6-14 and STC South Camberwell was all-out for 106 in 64.5 overs.
Toorak Prahran skipper Maurice Clayton said, despite having a small total to defend, the longer they kept STC South Camberwell at the crease the sooner the pendulum would shift.
“We talked about pushing them to bat for as long as we could,” he said. “We just kept taking wickets every now and then to keep ourselves in the game.
“Runs on the board is gold in finals.”
And Toorak Prahran may be tempted to stamp on Gobbo’s foot at the start of every finals campaign.
“Originally he was a medium pacer but he hurt his toe and went back to off-spin,” Clayton said. “It’s been a blessing in disguise. He bowled a long spell and there was a bit of bounce and turn for him.”
Trinity Willison 92 (S McKay 3-28, A May 2-11, C Lavery 2-15) lost to St. Pauls 3-95 (J Attwood 28 not out) at Frog Hollow Reserve
St Pauls has reached the Macgibbon Shield decider after a dominant display against Trinity Willison in the semi-final at Frog Hollow Reserve.
On Saturday, Trinity Willison was in all sorts of trouble after being dismissed for just 92 in 61.3 overs.
David McKenna (22), Jack Graves (20) and Tim McKenna (17) battled gamely in the difficult conditions while Sean McKay (3-28), Aaron May (2-11) and Chris Lavery (2-15) were the chief destroyers with the ball.
In reply, St Pauls ran up 2-46 in 27.1 overs before stumps and then reeled in the target for the loss of just three wickets when the game concluded on Sunday. Jacob Attwood made an unbeaten 28 off 21 balls with 2 fours and 2 sixes to launch St Pauls over the line.