GCA DIVISION ONE QUALIFYING FINALS
By Mark Browning Geelong West v Lara
Lara threw down the gauntlet to the other finalists and showed they are real premiership contenders after their tense three wicket win over Geelong West on Sunday.
In a tight low scoring encounter Lara captain Chris Bambury guided his side over the line with an unbeaten 38 that was worth more than many centuries.
The Cats finished on 7-123, after having bowled out Geelong West for 122 on Saturday, the game at Winter Reserve being all over by 2.30pm yesterday.
“For a while I wasn’t sure we’d win,” a relieved Bambury said straight after the match. “For much of our innings we just couldn’t get a partnership going. We knew we just needed one stand of about 30 runs and we were there.
“The match certainly went down right to the last ball and I didn’t really feel confident we would get over the line until we needed less than ten runs and still had three wickets in hand.”
Lara was 7-104 before Jason Hughes (7*), currently playing the best cricket of his long career with Lara, stayed with his captain to add the crucial 19 runs that kept Lara’s season alive.
Geelong West had had their chances. Craig Allthorpe (4/22) bowled beautifully d for 20 overs and both Hughes and Bambury were dropped during their brief matchwinning partnership.
“There was a little in the wicket early, perhaps as a legacy from last week’s rain,” Bambury said. “But mostly the low scoring could be put down to the bowling being better than the batting during the match. We fielded well too. We dropped one catch, but held some good ones.
“That and being a Final added more pressure on the batsmen.”
On day one Shane Arthur(43) had launched the Rams innings in positive fashion. However, once Nathan Yates removed Glen Talarico at 1-57 the Rams batsmen were never again able to get on top. The Hughes cousins, Jason (4/43) and Danny(3/22), working in tandem claimed seven victims between them as Geelong West lost a critical 9-65.
“They couldn’t get a partnership going either once we got Talarico out,” Bambury said. “And removing Sam Loftus just on tea was also a bonus.”
With Daniel Wright striking the ball sweetly the Cats reply began with promise. But just before stumps Allthorpe broke through to leave Lara 3-55 at the close and the game in the balance.
Wright (36) was caught behind early on day two and when Grant Grewcock was dismissed by Josh Vrbovski for a duck a Rams win was a genuine possibility.
But Bambury’s quality has saved Lara time and time again. It did so again and he will be hoping there might be two more innings of equal value left in his season.
“I have a lot of faith in this group,” Bambury said. “That if we stick to our plans and execute them well we are as good as any other side in this competition.”
East Belmont v North Geelong
East Belmont had an emphatic 59 run win over North Geelong in another low scoring final at Burdoo Reserve, the loss ending the Magpie’s season.
The Lions had only mustered 171 on Saturday, but this total proved quite sufficient as their pace trio of Peter Quick (4/20), Matt Caulfield (3/11) and Sean Bogan (2/49) cut a swathe through the North Geelong batsmen yesterday.
An early wicket apiece to Tim Ferguson and Brad Scown left East Belmont in trouble at 2/7 soon after Shaun Hooley won the toss for the minor premiers and batted on day one. From there Hooley (27) himself, and Grant Dew (25) fought to get East Belmont in to the contest.
However, it was only when James Diery (38) added 77 with Sam Scannell (46) for the sixth wicket that a worthwhile total seemed likely. Scannell hit two sixes but upon his dismissal the game turned again. Shane Lymer(3/33) and Ferguson(3/23) removed the last five batsmen for 29 runs to leave the Magpies 172 to win.
They quickly lost Danny Tielens before the close on Saturday and were soon in trouble again yesterday.
Quick, Caulfield and Bogan applied unrelenting pressure and the Magpie top order folded.
Prior to tea Caufield was particularly effective bowling in form Andrew Fergusson as he played the wrong line and having consistent veteran Alf Clark caught behind.
North Geelong were 6/38 and 7/71 at tea. Only Marco Sticca(64*) offered any serious resistance. He played the innings of the match and his cutting and driving were so effective he might have won the game if he could have found a partner to stay with him.
East Belmont will play Geelong West in next week’s semi-final.
Grovedale v St Josephs
A brilliant unbeaten 129 by St Josephs’ captain-coach, David Morgan set up his side’s 103 run win over Grovedale in the final played out at Lara Reserve.
In a weekend where nearly every other batsman struggled Morgan strode to the wicket at 2/35 following the dismissal of Daniel Fanning on Saturday and did not leave the crease until his side’s innings was terminated after 85 overs by compulsory closure.
Then, yesterday, Sam Farnsworth backed up his captain’s effort with a six wicket burst that abruptly finished Grovedale’s summer.
This clash between third and fourth became an elimination final by virtue of Lara’s (5th) win over Geelong West (2nd) and apart from a couple of early wickets by Martyn Evans and Graeme Harper very little went right for the Tigers.
Morgan and Damien Foster (26) began the repair of the early damage before Michael O’Sullivan added an important 69 with his captain for the fourth wicket. When Brendan Weymess was run-out by Michael NcNeel Joeys were 6-165 and the innings could still have gone either way.
But Morgan dominated the scoring in the closing overs and found a solid ally in Nathan Harris so that his side reached a worthy 6/233 by the first evening.
Then, yesterday, Farnsworth once again exposed the batting frailties that have plagued Grovedale since Christmas.
Nick Peterson (38) played some nice shots in the early stages and a stand of 39 between Gareth Yelland (37) and Evans (28*) gave Grovedale a glimmer of hope at 5/124.
But Yelland’s dismissal precipitated a disastrous collapse. With Farnsworth continuing his senational work and Dylan Grant (2/24), Damien Foster and Daniel Fanning chipping in Joeys captured 5/6 to set up a semi-final clash with Lara next week.
Courtesy of the Geelong Advertiser and Reporter: Mark Browning |
