The yellow and blue crushed Kyabram, the reigning premiers, by a whopping 114 runs at the Moama Recreation Reserve, thanks to an exceptional performance with bat and ball from stalwart Dylan Cuttriss, who was also named MVP of the grand final.
Rochester’s skipper Tim Bubb had won the toss and elected to bat first on Saturday and after a shaky (and nerve-wracking) start, losing Bubb to one run from six balls, his team settled into their work.
The top order regained composure until the second wicket fell at 2/38.
A miniature collapse set Rochy back to 5/42 thanks to the bowling of Mick Mattingly and Marx de Villiers.
That brought Cuttriss (79) and Tim Rasmussen (37) to the crease and they smashed a match-winning 105-run partnership before Rasmussen fell off Mattingly’s bowling.
Cuttriss bashed 12 boundaries as Liam Ringin finished the day 18 not out, while Jake Perry made 24 off 67 balls. Rochy completed day one all out for 225 from 76 overs.
Brodie Unwin (3/65) and Mattingly (3/70) claimed the most wickets for Fire Brigade.
In response on Sunday, Rochester came out firing from the outset, claiming wicket keeper and opener Justin Elliott for a two-ball duck to the bowling of Cuttriss, who was keen to back up his strong performance with the bat.
Marx de Villiers fell for one off three balls, another notch in the Cuttriss belt.The third wicket, Mattingly, fell leg before wicket for a 14-ball duck (in a case of déjà vu for Mattingly, who also made a duck in the 2017/18 grand final, which Kyabram won) to Liam Ringin.
At that stage Fire Brigade were in dire straits with the scoreboard reading 3/4.
Ben Langley provided some resistance, making nine runs off 34 deliveries before falling leg before and becoming the third scalp for Cuttriss.
But the biggest surprise of all was the fifth wicket — Paul Newman.
For years the rock on which the team has succeeded, he looked on song when he clubbed two boundaries in quick succession. But a Ringin delivery provided enough for Newman to edge behind to Rasmussen’s waiting gloves, dismissed for eight off 31.
Dale Shaw (15) and skipper Daniel Kent (34) put together a 32-run partnership before Shaw fell for the sixth wicket.
Jayden Rosin contributed just two runs before falling to Vibhor Yadav’s bowling, leaving Fire Brigade at 7/66 — with pain to come.
A 44-run partnership ensued when Jake Gascoyne stepped up alongside Kent. Gascoyne was eventually dismissed for a quickfire 26 off 29, leaving Fire Brigade eight down for 110.
The final two wickets fell in quick succession, adding just one run to the total. Best bowlers for the victors were Cuttriss (3/21) and Vibhor Yadav (3/28).
