MPCA 2020-21: Sorrento beats Baden Powell in Provincial grand final
Sorrento’s grand final hoodoo has well and truly been put to rest after hoisting back-to-back MPCA Provincial flags.
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Last season Sorrento was awarded the MPCA Provincial premiership after COVID-19 prevented a grand final from being played.
On Sunday, the champagne corks were popping as the Sharks celebrated another flag, but this time in true traditional style, after beating Baden Powell by two wickets in a gripping grand final at David McFarlan Reserve.
After dismissing Baden Powell for 125, Sorrento achieved victory in the 35th over, with two wickets in hand — Leigh Poholke smashing a cover drive for four to trigger celebrations.
Sorrento captain Bobby Wilson said relief and satisfication were the overwhelming emotions.
“It feels different because we got to actually play the game and hit the winning runs,” he said.
“I think it vindicates last year and proves we’ve been the best side the last couple of years.
“Sorrento has obviously had the hoodoo the last 10 years — they lost four (grand finals) in a row, we lost to Langwarrin a couple of years ago and last year it was handed to us.
“It was good to actually play and win a grand final.
“I feel like a big relief for the club.”
Wilson took a gamble when he won the toss on Saturday and put Baden Powell in.
He might have been regretting it when his strike bowler Jake Wood struggled to control the swinging ball, spraying wides as Baden Powell rushed to 0-29.
When rain arrived, the Braves were 2-46, with hard-hitting opener Beau Anthony unbeaten.
Play resumed on Sunday and a refocused Wood led from the front, grabbing three wickets as Sorrento put the squeeze on.
Anthony was stumped for 32 off 45 balls from the bowling of Leigh Janssen and soon after Wood removed BP skipper Travis Kellerman (0) as they tumbled to 7-84.
Poholke hand a hand in two run outs as Sorrento seized the momentum.
Wood proved his star qualities to finish with 4-38, his spell including a staggering 24 wides, while Janssen took 2-13 off 8 overs.
Left-arm offie Matt Rulach, 15, impressed with 1-16 off 4 overs bowling at the death.
Sorrento’s run chase suffered an early hiccup when opener Jedd Falck (6) was out with the score at 1-13.
But Corey Harris (30 off 62 balls, with 4 fours) and Wilson combined for a 68-run partnership to put the Sharks on target.
Baden Powell, though, refused to lay down. Braves coach Craig Entwistle made two key strikes, removing Harris and Wilson (39 off 52), who fell to a sharp slips catch by Josh Waldron.
From 2-90, Sorrento was suddenly teetering at 6-99 as Braves opening bowlers Taylor Harrison and Zacc Klan made key breakthroughs.
That became 7-109 when Patty Hall was run out. The Braves were up and about.
But young Matt Rulach showed plenty of ticker to stick around with Poholke, the pair putting on 14 to get within three runs of victory.
In the 35th over, Poholke clipped one off his pads for two to tie the scores, and next ball belted a boundary.
He finished unbeaten on 25, and was handed the match ball by a mate who had snaffled it.
Wilson praised his side for staying calm after a mediocre start.
“We won the toss and bowled so we put a bit of pressure on ourselves but the ball was swinging and Jake was struggling to control that,” he said.
“He bowled a lot of wides but we thought overnight we had (Rhys) Elmi and Entwistle who were two of the big wickets...but we knew they still had some danger players in Anthony, Waldron and Kellerman so we knew we had to get them cheap.
“To keep them to 125 from 2-50 overnight was a massive effort.
“Polks was brilliant to get 25 not out and Matty Rulach, he only made 1 but faced like 25 balls and soaked up a bit of pressure, so for a 15-year-old that was massive.”
Rulach’s brother James turned 18 on Saturday and by Sunday he had become a back-to-back Provincial premiership player.
In the seconds, Old Peninsula hoisted the premiership flag after beating Sorrento by eight wickets in the grand final.
Chasing Sorrento’s 8-154, the Pirates made 2-156 in 36 overs, with Ben Stewart (38no) and Glenn Prendergast (34no) guiding them to victory.
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