SECA Longmuir Shield: East Sandringham through to grand final

Luke Dallas is chasing his 12th premiership and Guy Martyn his 10th in this Saturday’s SECA Longmuir Shield decider against Bentleigh Uniting.

Elwood keeper Stewart Clark watches on as East Sandringham batsman Mark Devereaux goes the sweep. Picture: Valeriu Campan

What would a Longmuir Shield grand final be without East Sandringham?

One of suburban cricket’s perennial powerhouses is again through to the last match of the season after defeating Elwood in the preliminary final in the top grade of the South East Cricket Association.

The one-day match was played over two days and East Sandy won it easily to earn a grand final berth against Bentleigh Uniting this Saturday.

East got on the front foot right from the outset with Mark Devereaux, promoted after a string of scores in Quiney Shield, and Matt Harris quickly into stride.

They added 90 for the opening wicket in fine style before Devereaux perished for 53.

Captain Guy Martyn (24) came and went quickly and was joined shortly after by Matthew Harris (41).

East Sandringham batsman Matt Harris cuts. Picture: Valeriu Campan

Woods spinner Rob De Haan dismissed both to get Elwood back in the contest but Chris Diggle (29no) and Matt Blunden (15no) regained the ascendancy, taking the score to 3-167 before rain wiped out the rest of the day’s play after only 24 overs.

Play resumed on Sunday and Elwood had early success with Diggle removed immediately by Matt McNaughton.

De Hann returned to the attack and quickly dismissed Jack Munnings (24) and Ben Pryor (2), and then Blunden (42) fell to Mitch Clarke.

Luke Dallas chipped in with a quick 22 to take the total to a formidable 8-269.

De Haan (4-43) was admirable for the Woods, who needed a perfect start to overhaul such a hefty target.

They didn’t get it, slipping to 3-18 as East Sandringham new-ball specialist Tim Edwards (2-24) again got early wickets.

And although Stuart Clark (26) and Adam Howard (32) added 59 there was no coming back for the Beach Boys.

The innings was shut down for just 124, ending a season that promised much for Elwood.

The grand final between East Sandy and Bentleigh Uniting shapes as a high scoring but tight affair with both teams packed with potential match winners.

Remarkably, Dallas is chasing his 12th senior premiership with East, having figured in his first flag in 2001-02.

It was the start of a golden run when East Sandy won five premierships on the spin.

They missed out in 2006-07, then lifted the next three Longmuir shields.

Others titles came in 2011-12, 2016-17 and 2018-19.

Martyn is chasing his 10th premiership and Devereaux his ninth.

Elwood players celebrate a wicket.

In Woolnough Shield West Bentleigh outlasted Washington Park in the preliminary final and will meet Omega in the season-decider.

West knocked up 7-171, led by Jayce Morgan (54) and Jack McLeod (40).

Gihan Perera (28) gave the Sharks a bright start in their response and Nick Khor toughed out a determined 49 but Wests spinners McLeod (1-16 off six overs) and Adam Wakeling (1-17 off eight overs) kept the pressure on.

The required run rate escalated and then Morgan returned to the attack and bulldozed the rest of the batting.

He took 4-30, leaving Washington Park (138) 33 runs adrift and out of overs.

The Sharks had lost batsmen Tim Oaten to injury on day one, mirrored a season of obstacles for them.

Omega will start favourite in the grand final but West have caused plenty of surprises this season and have overcome strong opposition in their two finals.

Kingston Heath upset Omega in Quiney Shield.

The Omers had dominated the grade through the season but were on the wrong end of two tight finished in the finals to be eliminated.

They struggled on day one to be 8-104 when the tide swept in but did manage to get their score up to 140 thanks to Anthony D’Amico (36).

D’Amico then snared three quick wickets to have the Heath on the back foot at 5-42. Paul Brown (27) and Tim Lawson (40) added 63 but when the Golfers lost their eighth wicket at 111 it seemed Omega might make a great escape.

But in another twist penultimate pair Adam Williams (13no) and Mark Fountain (16no) cracked the last 31 runs in just four overs to steal it back.

The Golfers face Bentleigh Uniting in the grand final.

The D Grade final was even closer with Washington Park’s last pair adding 16 runs to allow their team (9-150) to sneak past Melbourne Wanderers (148).

Liam “Lemon” Adlington belied his nickname and smashed the second last ball of the day for a huge six to be the hero.

Cheltenham Park’s Chris Hall (5-8) bowled his team into the grand final in G Grade and the Parkers also got through to the H Grade grand final via a last-wicket stand by Josh Gorman and Lawson Daniels of 32.

The pair belted 20 runs off the final over, including a massive six by Daniels off the last ball to pinch a memorable victory.

Meanwhile, Bentleigh Uniting allrounder Malin Silva was last night crowned the SECA Longmuir Shield Knight Sports player of the year.

He polled 18 votes to defeat East Sandy star Chris Diggle (15) and Brighton Union’s Weerasingha Dilranga (14).

Union stalwart Darian Kuzma was next on 10.

Silva, in his second season with Uniting, hot 400 runs at 44.4 and took 26 wickets at 15.3.

Washington Park’s Chris Williamson took the Woolnough Shield player award. With 17 votes Williamson nosed out Carnegie South’s Tom Cameron (16), with West Bentleigh’s Jayce Morgan (15) clipping at their heels.