WANDELLA was left to rue a dramatic batting collapse as it crashed out of the Swan Hill and District Cricket Association finals on Saturday.
Wandella looked strongly poised in its run chase against Woorinen following a 43-run second wicket partnership between Laine Gibbons (32) and Bohden McKnight (16), before they lost four wickets for just one run.
They were never able to recover from the collapse, eventually being bowled out for 107 in reply to Woorinen’s 160 in the semi-final clash.
Wandella’s task was made all the more difficult with the absence of opening bowler Ryan Barnes due to injury, but they still had the home side in trouble at 5-68 – which was in effect six wickets down following the retirement of Dean Morpeth after a calf injury.
But for the second time in three weeks, Darren Rushton changed the course of the game for his team, coming in at number eight and compiling a match-winning 58 not out to get his side to a match-winning 7-160.
“He’s (Rushton) hitting them really well at the moment – there are times when I think maybe he should be batting up the order, but it’s a good spot for him because it gives him a bit of freedom to come in later in the innings when the ball’s not moving around as much and score freely,” Woorinen captain Jason Mangiameli said.
With the ball, it was Guri Singh (2-40) and Stefan Mangiameli (4-34) who combined for Woorinen to break the game wide open.
“Guri (Singh) was unbelievable, he bowled his 14 overs straight without a break and he probably could have bowled another couple,” Mangiameli said.
“But we decided to bring ‘Rushy’ (Robert Rush) back on and he just swung the momentum back our way with four wickets along with Stefan (Mangiameli).”
“All three of those boys bowled brilliantly and were major contributors in us winning the game.”
Woorinen is on track for back-to-back A Grade titles for the second time in the club’s history and will take on Nyah District in the grand final, after they defeated St Mary’s Tyntynder in a thrilling clash.
For St Mary’s, it was a particularly bitter blow, as they were aiming to become the first team in SHDCA history to claim all three A Grade trophies on offer – having already won the McDonald’s T20 title and Kookaburra Cup premiership this season.A GRADE SEMI FINAL SCORES
NYAH DISTRICT 9-140 (Charlie Boulton 33, Drew Lloyd 27, Nathaniel Holmes-Brown 5-60, Dom Violi 2-46) defeated ST MARY’S TYNTYNDER 10-127 (Cooper Andrews 4-20, Ben Shadbolt 3-40)
WOORINEN 7-160 (Darren Rushton 58*, Jim Degrigorio 31, Marcus Mangiameli 26, Bohden McKnight 2-20, Daniel Higgs 2-37, Logan Keighran 2-37) defeated WANDELLA 10-107 (Laine Gibbons 32, Brodey Farley 31, Robert Rush 4-30, Stafan Mangiameli 4-34, Guri Singh 2-40)NYAH District and Woorinen will face off in the
