Two Goulburn Murray Cricket finals went right down to the final overs in a thrilling conclusion to the B, C, and D grade seasons.
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Bamawm Lockington United (BLU) claimed the Bill Williams Shield (B-grade) in a heart-stopping five-run victory against Kyabram Fire Brigade, while Echuca left its run to the last ball of the season to lift the Gus Underwood Shield (C-grade).
In the Peter Raglus Shield (D-grade) decider, Echuca South saluted with a stirring six-wicket victory over Kyabram Fire Brigade to bring a flag back to South Recreation Reserve.
BLU’s victory broke a 10-year senior cricket premiership drought, and it was accomplished in an edge-of-your-seat contest for the ages on its home deck at Bamawm.
Batting first, BLU captain Josh Cairns and Noah Mundie navigated a cagey opening 10 overs before Fire Brigade’s Steven George broke through with Mundie’s wicket.
Cameron Laird and Cairns put on a 34-run partnership but Cairns eventually fell to the bowling of Rikki Busch for 41.
Busch then dismissed Laird for 25, while Tom Owen snagged two wickets to help Fire Brigade keep on top of BLU.
Noah Turner (16), Ben Reid (10), and Xavier Kellow (15) added to BLU’s final score of 6-128 after 40 overs, with Owen (2-23) and Busch (2-14) the pick of the bowlers.
Fire Brigade’s equation was 129 runs required for back-to-back B-grade titles, and the Flames got themselves off to a bright start chasing a low total.
Brett Andison and Phil Carroll opened for the Flames, but it was Tom Morris who claimed early honours with the wicket of Carroll.
Andison and Shannon Fleming combined for a 33-run partnership, and despite Shannon Bish dismissing Fleming for 17, Fire Brigade was well on track to chase down the runs at 2-69 after 22 overs.
BLU’s bowlers upped the intensity however, dousing the Flames’ scoring.
Andison and Cohan Hooper were dismissed in quick succession by BLU’s two Noahs — Mundie and Turner — and at 4-75 Fire Brigade’s prospects were looking dimmer.
Liam Francis and Trevor Watts went to work restoring momentum with a steadying 32-run partnership, but it was Mundie again who stepped up to claim the wicket of Watts for 14.
Three deliveries later, Bish ensured Corey Carver followed Watts back, trapping him LBW and leaving Fire Brigade six wickets down requiring 18 runs for victory.
The dangerous Francis was dismissed for 25, and Brett Mundie struck twice to reduce the Flames to 9-121.
And in the 38th over, premiership glory befell BLU when Jason Turner held his nerve to bowl Matt Fleming for the 10th wicket, sealing a famous flag for BLU.
Over at Tongala Reserve, Echuca and Moama played out a last-ball thriller to conclude the C-grade season, with Dan Patel the hero with the bat to take Echuca over the line.
Bowling first, Echuca struck in the first over of the game through Zac Hegarty, dismissing Moama captain Luke Teasdale.
Hegarty struck again in the third over with the wicket of Luke Agg, before Matt Gazelle claimed the prized scalp of Ben Mason to leave Moama scrambling at 3-12.
Dan Hegarty made it 4-22 with the wicket of Simon Porter, but James Simpson and Jamie Horkings managed to guide Moama through to drinks at 4-49.
Josh Huntly dismissed Horkings and Tony Orton in successive deliveries to reduce Moama further to 6-59, followed soon after with the wicket of Andrew McIntosh.
Simpson continued to anchor the Moama innings, and with Colin Height alongside him at the crease, compiled a 24-run partnership before Dan Hegarty dismissed Height for seven.
At 9-103, Simpson’s heroics extended into a final-wicket stand of 40 runs with Greg Cadd, driving Moama to a score of 143.
Simpson batted for 36 overs, finishing unbeaten on 59 runs.
Jake Logie and Hayden Hegarty started strongly in the run chase for Echuca, guiding them to 37 before Luke Agg dismissed Hegarty.
Porter then found the next breakthrough with the wicket of Echuca captain Ben Hearn.
Echuca’s innings continued to build through Logie and Patel, but Jim Richardson extracted the crucial breakthrough of Logie for 35 to break the partnership just before drinks.
A 47-run partnership between Patel and Graeme Mitchell saw Echuca take the ascendancy in the match, but the back-to-back dismissals of Mitchell (26) and Mitch Oliver at the hands of Dylan Jenkins saw Moama claw its way back into the contest.
Jenkins went to work almost single-handedly dragging his side to victory, dismissing Tom Kerr for his third.
With six required off the final over, Jenkins stood up again to dismiss Dan Hegarty and Gazelle to complete his five-for, finishing with 5-19.
On the penultimate ball however, Echuca’s Ryan Smith turned the strike to Patel with a single.
Needing two off the final delivery for victory, Patel laid bat on ball and charged came back for a premiership-winning second run.
In the Raglus Shield final at Brick Alley in Moama, Echuca South had a comfortable six-wicket victory over Kyabram Fire Brigade to end the club’s season on a high.
Batting first, Fire Brigade’s Matthew Schubach (34) and Simon Doolan (12) got their side off to a 44-run head-start.
Both were dismissed in two deliveries, and the Stephens — Michael and Mitchell — combined for five wickets to initiate a Flames collapse.
Fire Brigade lost 8-62, with only Shaun Doolan (11) cracking double figures down the order.
Echuca South needed just 107 for victory, and did it in a canter.
Mitch Stephens’ 50 not-out set the tone for the chase, and scores to Daniel Stephens (19) and Liam Gundry (11) saw the Swans pass Fire Brigade’s score in the 30th over.
A picture spread of Goulburn Murray Cricket grand final action will be available in Wednesday’s edition of the Riverine Herald.
RIV Herald