Murgheboluc all-rounder Jason Grozdanovski bowls and then bats his Frogs into a GCA2 grand final
A Geelong left arm tweaker has cemented his standing as division two’s most destructive bowler with twin five-fors, and a half century, to guide his team into its second decider in three years.
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Some all-round brilliance from GCA2’s leading bowler, Murgheboluc’s Jason Grozdanovski, with twin five-fors and a crucial half century, has seen the Frogs a chance to secure two titles in three seasons.
Murghe booked a rendezvous with the unbeaten Lara next Saturday at Bisinella Oval after rolling Bell Park for 91 on Saturday at King Lloyd Recreation Reserve in a preliminary final.
The Frogs beat Torquay by five wickets in the 2022-23 decider.
On Saturday, Murghe snared the key Bell Park wicket of Nikhil Deep Pottabathini (eight) cheaply and for his first single figure since early October in second division.
Meanwhile, Daniel Grozdanovski claimed Tasmanian recruit Sam Elliston-Buckley for a second-ball duck.
Along with Lara’s Robert Sodomaco, Pottabathini was division two’s most in-form batter approaching the pointy end of the season.
With the ball, Jason Grozdanovski returned the incredible figures of 5-14 off 21.4 overs with 14 maidens — taking him past the 40-wicket barrier for the season.
In reply, the Frogs had started their innings strongly at 1-45 before losing the next five wickets for 48 runs — Bailey Kelly (4-52) would take four of the five to fall.
Keeper Cameron Platt, who had produced 11 double figure scores without reaching 50, breakthrough with 54 off 106 balls to steady the ship.
Later, Grozdanovski, coming in at six, also stood tall with the bat (74 off 144 rocks) as he, Corey Bicknell (five off 55 deliveries), brother Daniel (24 off 87) and Nathan Tucker (four off 26) chewed up balls to stall the Dragons’ push for an outright, eventually dismissed for 195.
It was Grozdanovski’s third half ton for the season, with two previous scores in the 60s.
Batting a second time, the Dragons put the foot down to try and gain a decent lead but lost wickets regularly to be bowled out for 103 in the 14th over (Michael Lymer 39 off 21 with three sixes).
However, that man again did the damage with 6-23 off 3.2 overs while skipper Luke Brown chimed in with 4-43.
Bears poised to book grand final berth
It’s looing like a rematch of the division two grand final of 10 summers ago next Saturday with Marshall close to booking a place in the GCA3 first grade decider.
In a similar story to Lara a division above, the Bears have responded strongly from demotion and would face last year’s grand finalists Thomson next Saturday on its home turf.
The Bears rolled Thomson for just 71 in a 87-run victory back in March, 2015 with the evergreen Grant Dew the only remaining Tiger from that match.
Marshall is one of two opponents to beat Thomson in 24-25, as the Tigers chase their first victory since a seven-run thriller over Modewarre in Round 11.
Thomson has built a reputation for winning the close ones this season.
On Saturday, Marshall skittled Alexander Thomson for 71 with Blayke Sadler (4-31) again amongst the wickets, with support from Srikanth Reddy Chinthakuntla (3-16).
Sadler has 14 wickets at 8.3 from his past five appearances at the crease.
Bailey Forssman was the only Viking to hit double figures, top scoring with 42.
In reply, the Bears were in complete command at 2-85 before a collapse opened the door for AT.
Marshall would lose 3-0 at one stage, with captain Zach Mevissen (5-25 off 9.4 overs) taking all three, and 8-35 in total, as the Bears were dismissed for 120 (Lachie Cameron 39 not out, Jake Hilton 37).
The Vikings were then bowled out for 115 (Jess Thornton 29, Forssman 22, Brad Greenwood 4-28, Taylor Cameron 2-23, Mike Norris 2-22) in the 37th over, leaving the Bears 66 to win outright.
Marshall were four wickets down and closing in on victory.
Rosellas a step closer to back-to-back titles
Lethbridge is a win away from back-to-back titles after blitzing its way into a GCA4 grand final with a 164-run flogging of Little River.
Batting first at Little River Reserve on Saturday, the Rosellas struck 7-235 off its full complement of 45 overs.
Captain Shane Dillon top scored with 87 off 102 balls with four boundaries and three sixes, with support from keeper Vihang Ahlawat (34 off 35) and Thomas Saunders (30 off 32).
For the second week in a row, Ahlawat was part of a rescue job for Lethbridge as he and Dillon established a 77-run stand for the fifth wicket, taking the score from 4-62 to 5-139.
In a semi-final last weekend, the Rosellas had been reduced to 6-90 before Ahlawat and Saunders put on 48 runs against Newcomb& District to stabilise the innings.
Meanwhile, Dillon continues to be the Rosellas’ key man in finals, now averaging 134 with the bat – three half centuries from four digs – and has taken 10 wickets at 7.8 from his past four finals fixtures.
Club president Damien Harwood said Saturday’s result could only bolster its chances of being promoted to division three.
It was demoted into the new division four ahead of the 2022-23 season,
“We’re just excited to be back playing in the grand final, we’ve worked hard as a club since we were relegated from division three,
“Now it looks like we’re gaining those rewards.
“We’re just excited, to go back-to-back would be fabulous.”
He said Dillon was an “absolute asset” for the Rosellas.
“Shane’s a former division one cricketer, he’s a Lethbridge kid, grew up here, played his junior cricket here, played his senior cricket here, he went to better himself at North Geelong and then returned,” he said.
“He’s an absolute asset to the cricket club.”
However, it’s a second successive semi-final loss for the Redbacks after going down to Waurn Ponds Deakin in 23-24.
On Saturday, Little River could only offer 71 after Sam Giles (4-29), Riley Stone (4-6 off three overs) and Hayden Spiller(2-22) did the damage.
Lethbridge was also able to quell the influence of the competition’s leading all-rounder in Nicholas Fairchild (0-47 and two runs).
The Rosellas will now face Meredith in the grand final at Grinter Reserve on Saturday.
Lethbridge crushed the Rams by nine wickets in Round 20 after Meredith won the previous two: the Round 13 encounter by 41 runs and by 67 runs in Round 6.
Originally published as Murgheboluc all-rounder Jason Grozdanovski bowls and then bats his Frogs into a GCA2 grand final
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