MELRYMPLE upset the Gamesta Panthers to claim the 2012 Globalwater Willowfest Australian Cricket Club Championships Cup Grade final at the Mildura Senior College on the 30th December 2012.
Posting 309 from their 50 overs, the Panthers were bowled out for 236 in the 43rd over.
Melrymple captain David Kirk said he was pleased he side was able to perform well against such strong opposition.
“They’re always a good team so it was good,” Kirk said.
“They usually get the better of us, they’ve got a good batting line-up and they usually tee-off but it was good to get the win today.”
The opening partnership of Brendan Payne and Anthony Gale got the Melton/Irymple Cricket Club combine off to a strong start with a 50-run partnership for the first wicket.
Payne was the first to go for a quickfire 30 of 21 balls, while Gale soon followed one short of his half-century.
At 2/71 after 12 overs, Melrymple had given themselves a good platform from which to build their innings.
But the rest of the batting innings belonged largely to Nick Gale, who peeled off 95 not out from 80.
Gale hit 10 fours in his innings, with his ability to pick the gaps in the field a highlight of the innings.
Jarrod Kennedy (34), Jesse Merlo (30) and Ryan Dowdy (30) provided strong middle-order partnerships around Gale.
Impressively, Melrymple belted 69 runs from their last seven overs, losing only the wicket of Kennedy in the process as they gave themselves the ascendency at the halfway mark of the contest.
Tarek Moughanie looked to be in a damaging mood when he hit a big six straight back over the bowlers’ head that reached the shed on the full.
However, he was removed for just 13.
Vic Chand fell for only eight, with Tallan Wright (nine) and Eban Martin (39) following soon after thanks to some tight bowling from Matt Button.
At 4/71, the defending Willowfest champions were in trouble.
Enter the combination of Glenn Motschall and former Mildura West batsman Sam Skinner, who is averaging 59 in Victorian Premier Cricket for Melbourne University’s second XI this season.
The duo put on 118 for the fifth wicket, scoring at more than a run a ball.
However, Skinner fell LBW to Victorian Premier Cricket first XI player Dylan Kight.
Skinner’s departure saw
the Panthers fall to 5/189, still needing 121 for victory.
Michael Sanderson was then bowled by Kight two balls later to give Melrymple the ascendency.
However, Motchall remained as the dangerman.
But he fell for a well made 92 off 70 balls, which included seven fours and two sixes.
His wicket all but ended the Panthers’ hopes, with the final four wickets falling for nine runs.
In other divisions, Blue Yabbies rose to the occasion to claim the A Grade championship, while Muppets won B Grade.
In perhaps the
upset of the carnival, the Crazy Mexicans inflicted the first loss on the Brighton Beasts in the ladies decider.
Story & Photo courtesy of Sunraysia Daily, Toby Prime.
