St Bernard’s produced a stunning upset win over VSDCA fancies Endeavour Hills

St Bernard’s captain Kyle Adams predicted his team could upset Endeavour Hills and some fiery exchanges made the shock win all the sweeter.

St Bernard's spinner Amaya Gharat. Picture: Stuart Milligan

St Bernard’s captain-coach Kyle Adams predicted it and his teammates delivered a rousing upset win over Endeavour Hills on Saturday to keep the Snowdogs’ season alive.

In a fiery qualifying final clash, fifth-placed St Bernard’s knocked off the second-placed Eagles by 28-runs at Sydney Pargeter Reserve.

After securing a VSDCA finals place last week, Adams had no doubt his team was capable of mixing it with the premiership contenders and so it proved.

Rory Collins (57), Aaron Smillie (3-33) and Adams (3-20) stole the show as Endeavour Hills’ big names Tillakaratne Dilshan and Akshay Ballal failed to fire.

“It was very pleasing, to beat a side like Endeavour Hills at their ground is really good,” Adams said.

v St Bernard's batsman Rory Collins. Picture: Stuart Milligan

“The game was pretty heated, there was a bit going on. We copped it last time from them as well – they’re pretty lippy.

“We didn’t take a backward step, we didn’t cross the line, I think the umpires handled the game pretty well.

“Everything was alright after the game but it was definitely good to come away with the win after we copped what we did batting.

“We had them 9-116 last time, so I knew if we got a decent score we were a chance to defend it or got them out for a low score could chase it.

“We knew we had to get Dilshan and Ballal, they rely heavily on them to get their runs, and we could put the pressure on their other guys.

“Smillie was great up front, he got a wicket first ball, and then Dilshan pretty quickly after that, Ballal looked good but when we got him we knew we were a good chance.”

It capped a perfect weekend for St Bernard’s, which had all four grades win.

The First and Second XI will play semi-finals on Saturday, while the Third and Fourths XI are into the grand final.

Tillakaratne Dilshan of Endeavour Hills. Picture: George Sal

“It ticks a box, it’s the first time in Subbies the club has won a First XI final,” Adams said.

“All four grades won as well, so the threes and fours go straight into the grand final and the twos go into a semi-final as well.

“It was a pretty amazing day for the club to have all that happen.”

Having won the toss and elected to bat, St Bernard’s were in early trouble at 4-65 before Collins and Connor McGuire (33) steadied the ship with a 69-run partnership.

Late hitting from Steve Shields (26 off 28) guided the Snowdogs to 7-172.

Smillie removed Tyrell Panditharatne with the first ball of the innings and had Dilshan soon after for just five.

Ameya Gharat then picked up the critical wicket of Ballal, lbw, to have the home team 4-73 and behind the eight ball.

“Ameya bowled really well, he’s got lots of variations in his game,” Adams said.

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“Ballal came with a plan to sweep him and we came up with a plan to negate that and it worked, he stepped across and got caught lbw.

“It’s good to talk plans with Ameya and he’ll go out and execute, it’s really pleasing, and he’s getting wickets he deserves.”

The victory sets up a semi-final clash against Strathmore, who upset and knocked out Coburg.

The Snowdogs pulled off a remarkable four-run win in January after being 4-14 and the Mores in cruise control at 2-108.

Endeavour Hills’ loss sees them face minor premiers Kew, which enjoyed a comfortable 125-run win over Croydon.

ST BERNARD’S ADAMS EXCEED EXPECTATIONS

St Bernard’s had plenty to celebrate on Saturday as it secured its return to VSDCA finals in style.

The Snowdogs romped to a 10-wicket win over Donvale in the final game of the home-and-away season to finish fifth and set up a qualifying final against Endeavour Hills.

For the first time in St Bernard’s’ Subbies history the club had all four grades finish top six and finished fourth in the club championship – another personal best.

Captain-coach Kyle Adams finished on top of the North-East group First XI wicket-taker charts with a career-best 36 scalps and club legend Chris Davis snared his 500th club wicket in his 249th match.

Making an instant impact at Subbies level, Adams said the season had exceeded his expectations but there were still goals to accomplish.

St Bernard’s captain-coach Kyle Adams. Picture: Arj Giese

“Club wise, definitely, finishing fourth in the club championship,” he said.

“At the start of the season it was something we identified that as something we wanted to do better in but I didn’t think we’d achieve it straight away.

“Having COVID has forced us to expose a lot of young kids, to get more games at a higher level, and they’ve performed.

“It’s really tested our depth, I think on the weekend we still had 14 or 15 blokes out with injury and COVID isolation.

“There’s a spinner in the twos that started the season in the fifths, so it’s been good to see the progression of a lot of the players at the club.

“I don’t think the club has won a First XI final in Subbies yet, so that’s something to aim for.”

St Bernard’s sealed its return to finals with a dominant win over Donvale, chasing down 105 in just 20 overs.

Luke Davis did the damage with the ball, claiming 4-26, before Tristan Kassis (55 not out) and Rory Collins (46 not out) made light work of the chase.

Adams took 2-23 to claim the group top wicket-taker award, the second Snowdog to achieve the feat after Arosh Janoda in 2017-18.

Fully fit after a shoulder reconstruction in 2020, Adams was a constant threat with ball in hand, taking two five-wicket hauls and only missing out in four matches.

St Bernard's batsman Rory Collins. Picture: Stuart Milligan

However, he said it would have been impossible without the likes of Aaron Smillie and Luke Davis alongside him.

“It’s good to have (the accolade),” he said.

“Bowling partnerships help me take wickets, (Aaron) Smillie is getting better and better every week.

“Some of the boys have said it’s the quickest they’ve seen him bowl in his three seasons at the club … and it makes my job easier at the other end.

“I said at the start of the year I was feeling good and it’s good to be able to come in and perform for the club and lead the from the front.

“It’s been pleasing to perform and reward the club for showing the faith in me when they gave me the job.”

The Snowdogs will now look to keep their season going in a sudden death final against the second-placed Eagles.

Endeavour Hills boasts former Sri Lanka captain Tillakaratne Dilshan and one of the competition’s hottest batters, Akshay Ballal.

The two team met back in Round 1 with the Hills taking a 62-run win at Sydney Pargeter Recreation Reserve, bowling the Snowdogs out for 99.

However, Adams is confident his team has started to find top form at the right time of the season.

“They’ll be tough to beat, they’ve been super all year,” he said.

“Having players like Dilshan, they’ve got the experience, he’s still a class player and Ballal is averaging a heap with the bat as well.

“When we did play them we didn’t bat very well and let them get 40 runs too many, I think we had them about 9-116 and Dilshan made 61 of them.

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“I do believe we’re a good chance to beat them if we play to our best.

“The pleasing thing about our side is that everyone has contributed this year in some part, we’re not relying on just one or two to get the job done.

“Spinella has got 400 runs, Kassis has got 400 runs, Rory has got nearly 400 and is an amazing keeper and Luke Davis with the ball has been amazing since Christmas.”

In other North-East group finals, minor premier Kew will face Croydon – pending Mt Waverley’s protest – and Coburg host Strathmore.