Grand final locked

WANGARATTA Magpies are through to the WDCA A grade grand final after a truly impressive performance with the ball against Beechworth Wanderers. Batting first at the Showgrounds, Wangaratta managed 153 all out from 72.1 overs before bowling Beechworth out for 80. After winning the toss and batting, disaster struck for the ‘Pies on the second ball, when Dean Simmons edged a ball which reared off the deck into the waiting hands of Brenton Surrey in the slips. Captain Cooper Matheson would come in and be the aggressor, playing his shots while Jarryd Wallace played the anchor role. Matheson would bring up his half century at a run a ball in style, whipping Jack Ryan for a six over the square leg boundary. The Magpies had recovered well, sitting at 1/56 after 20 overs, but there was still plenty of work to do. At the end of the 24th over, Wallace punched a ball to mid-off and sent off for a run, but a miscommunication with Matheson saw Wallace run out at the strikers end quite comfortably for nine off his 73 balls faced. Jack Davies lasted only eight balls before edging one off Jack Ryan, and Matheson’s innings ended on 66 when he pushed forward at a ball and snicked it to first slip. At 4/83, the Magpies needed a partnership to form, with Ollie Andrew and Kyle Winter-Irving battling away in the middle. The duo would add 22 before Winter-Irving was dismissed for 14. Andrew (18 off 88 balls) and James Thewlis (24 off 35) provided some resistance, but both were soon back in the sheds. The ‘Pies tail persevered, with Nic Bonwick (four off 21), Zac Guilfoyle (five from 45), Callum Honey (two from seven) and Matt Prestianni (one not out from 10) helping where they could. With 153 on the board, the Magpies needed to bowl and field extremely well to keep Beechworth out of the game. It took just three overs for the Magpies to strike, with Ollie Andrew catching the edge of Clancy Ellett to Matheson in the slips, the Wanderers 1/9 early. Matheson would pull of a brilliant catch seven overs later, diving low and to his right and taking the catch to remove Jackson Cull for six. The experienced Wanderers Brenton and Kayde Surrey were at the crease, determined to outlast the tight line and length the Magpies were producing. Fraser Ellis would enter the fray, removing Kayde Surrey LBW to see the Wanderers in trouble at 3/28 after 16 overs. The pressure would get to Brenton Surrey after overs of tight bowling, slashing at a fuller delivery and edging it to the gloves of Jack Davies, Andrew picking up his third. From 4/42, Beechworth lost two wickets in quick succession, Austen Fendyk trapped LBW to Ellis and Jack Ryan caught in the deep off Andrew, 6/49 after 27 overs. Zac Guilfoyle came into the attack and picked up a thick edge off his second ball, but it was put down at first slip – the very next delivery the edge came again, but this time Nic Bonwick held onto it to remove Will Prebble. Matt Ryan and Cam Fendyk worked into a nice partnership, but Ellis would get one to bounce more than Ryan expected, catching the shoulder of the bat and into the gloves of the leaping Davies. Ellis sensed blood in the water, sending a shorter one down two deliveries later to Henry Scalzo who parried it into the air, caught at short leg. The Wanderers had one wicket left and needed 86 runs from 40 overs. Cam Fendyk would work hard to try and keep his side in the contest, but Ellis would have the final say with the Wanderers sitting on 80 runs. Ellis hit Tim Cogger on the pads in front of the stumps, wrapping the game up in the 40th over and finishing with figures of 5/23 from 17 overs, and Ollie Andrew finishing with 4/18 from 14 overs. Skipper Cooper Matheson said it was a brilliant display across the weekend. “We were absolutely clinical with the ball, every week we’ve bowled better and we’ve done it again this week against a class batting line up,” he said. “I wouldn’t say we were happy with 153, but we knew it was very defendable especially out here, it’s ridiculously slow in the outfield but since both teams play on it there’s no advantage to either side. “Early the pitch had a bit of pop in it, I thought we might’ve had the wrong decision to bat but it played out alright once the ball got a bit wet because the outfield was a bit dewy. “Our bowlers were clinical. “Ollie [Andrew] has been bowling unreal, he’s not bowling quick but in the right areas all day. It’s the same with Frase [Ellis], he’s just a freak. “We fielded out of our skin, we said if we field well we’ll win, and it worked pretty well.” The win sets up a derby grand final with Rovers United Bruck.

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