North Geelong complete six-peat with GCA1 final win against Newtown & Chilwell
North Geelong has completed its incredible GCA1 six-peat in decisive fashion against Newtown & Chilwell, with one player bringing his very best with the bat on the grand final stage.
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Moama-raised Magpie allrounder Alistair McCann capped his sixth-straight GCA1 premiership in superb fashion, claiming man-of-the match honours on the back of a game-shaping 127 in just his 94th game at North Geelong.
“It’s really nice to finally contribute to one, as I don’t think I’ve actually done a single thing in any of the grand finals until now so it’s really satisfying and really humbling,” McCann said immediately following presentations.
“It’s my first ton in any form of cricket, I don’t think I’ve ever got past 80 until now, so it’s obviously very good timing.”
Newtown and Chilwell captain Dylan Hodge (3-42 from 25 overs) was the pick of the bowlers, removing Sam Hall (34) and Phil Visser (1) in quick succession to have the Magpies on the backfoot, forcing McCann to battle through a challenging period of consolidation in a quest to resurrect the innings.
Coming in at 5-89, McCann was central to three key partnerships, 56 with Connor Hangan, 101 with Dale Kerr and 97 for the eighth wicket with skipper Tom Mathieson, to propel the eventual six-time premier to an imposing 8-343.
While McCann did strike seven boundaries and three sixes, his game-shaping innings was best characterised by a combination of working the ball into gaps and running superbly between the wickets.
“While Connor, Dale and I were batting we just tried to stay present in the moment for every ball, rather than worrying about the future or thinking ahead to the next day,” McCann said.
“At South Barwon (Reserve) you can be lulled into a false sense of security thinking that you can hit a boundary every ball, but the way Dale and Tom batted so aggressively allowed me to play my natural game.”
Earlier: Magic number six for Magpies
North Geelong has claimed a record-equalling sixth GCA1 first XI premiership after a brilliant breakthrough century from allrounder Alistair McCann, combined with a stunning spell of seam bowling from Tom Mathieson and Dale Kerr, delivered a decisive 263-run win over Newtown and Chilwell.
“We didn’t speak about it much at the start of the season, we just spoke about getting to March, it probably won’t really sink in until we’re defeated in one,” elated Magpies skipper Tom Mathieson said post-game.
“I remember early on we just couldn’t get a flag, so to win six now is pretty crazy.”
McCann punched out a magnificent 201-ball 127, before Mathieson cut a swathe through the Two Blues batting with a superb 6-12, complemented by Kerr’s penetrating 3-50.
McCann ‘s maiden century, in any form of cricket, could not have been timelier with the towering allrounder’s combination of deft placement and astute running between wickets, a response to the Two Blues pushing the field back in a quest to mitigate damage to the short South Barwon boundaries.
“For him to come in at 5-89 and to strike a clutch hundred is pretty unbelievable,” Mathieson said of his grand final MVP award-winning teammate.
“Inside our group there was still that belief that we could rebuild, we’re the definition of a team, we’re never out of a game and we just grind.
“Soupy’s (McCann’s) hundred was up there with one of the best I’ve seen.”
Newtown and Chilwell had positioned itself strongly on the opening day reducing the Magpies to 5-89 as Dylan Hodge (3-42) and Noah Guida (3-132) elicited movement both through the air and off the seam early.
Sam Hall (34), Layton McCann (28) both got starts, however the Magpies’ rescue mission began in earnest as Connor Hangan (29) combined with Alistair McCann for an invaluable 56-run sixth wicket stand.
The dial moved decisively in the reigning premiers’ favour as McCann was joined by Dale Kerr, with the Victoria Country representative underlining his legitimate all-round capabilities with a gritty 68-ball 57, partnering McCann in propelling the score to 7-246.
Even reaching 6-304 from 106 first-day overs, the Magpies provided the icing on the cake with a whirlwind 39 from just four overs on the second day – Tom Mathieson striking 38 not out - setting the Two Blues the task of producing something special to haul in 344 in their turn at the crease.
“Soupy would normally go out there and blaze a run-a-ball, however he knew it was tough and going to get flatter, so for him to dig in and grind it out was great.
“I’ve never seen him so switched on, he really knew his job.”
Sadly, for Newtown and Chilwell, it was unable to produce the form with the bat that had seen it spend the bulk of the season as the competition pacesetter, succumbing to a pace brigade that superbly exploited a responsive wicket.
Mathieson was particularly destructive, generating appreciable seam movement and troubling bounce on the way to his stunning haul.
“We knew they have a powerhouse top order, so Dale and I knew it was important to use that new ball on a wicket that was doing a bit early,” Mathieson said.
“We knew it was important to hold those sharp catches, and we did that, they’re the ones that can change the game and if you hold on to them you’re going to win with 343 on the board.”
Now having equalled Newtown and Chilwell’s record of six consecutive premierships, the Magpies can set their sights on next summer and carving out a standalone historic record.
“It’s crazy to think about the age group of our team, there’s not one 30-year-old in our team, we’re all in our 20s,” Mathieson said.
“We do have one 40-year-old (Sam Hall) and he’s still hitting them pretty well.
“Our twos are young and fighting it out for a flag, so we’re a club with a really bright future.”
- North Geelong 8-343 def. Newtown and Chilwell 80
Originally published as North Geelong complete six-peat with GCA1 final win against Newtown & Chilwell
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