THIS season’s Northern District Cricket Association A Grade minor premiers and last season’s competition winners will meet on Saturday for the 2015/16 title.
Leitchville/Gunbower and Wandella will meet at Gunbower in the competition’s grand final following last weekend’s finals.
The composite side earned the right to host the grand final thanks to a three-wicket win against the Bombers on Saturday.
Isaac Hogan (87) and Greg Dickson (40) made the most of the Bombers’ choice to bat first, but three wickets each to James Keath and Todd Gelletly restricted Wandella to 8/193 off 45 overs.
Tyler Jones (108) guided the hosts to victory, with the minor premiers scoring the winning runs with 30 balls to spare.
Wandella’s loss meant the reigning premiers had to beat Cohuna United – who stunned local rivals, Nondies in the first semi-final – on Sunday to progress to the grand final.
United made it to the penultimate match of the season with a two-wicket win against Nondies.
Logan Spittal took three wickets to help dismiss Nondies for 128 in the 45th over, before Ian Mathers (39 not out) led a lower order revival to secure an upset win.
United was 5/19 before Mathers, Spittal (23) and Kansas Varker (21) helped the visitors secure victory with 12 balls to spare.
United could not produce a second win in the space of 48 hours, losing the preliminary final to Wandella by 177 runs.
The Bombers scored 5/260 off its 45 overs, before United – despite the efforts of Daniel Coates (42) – fell for 83 in the 27th over.
Top two to tussle
NONDIES and Wandella will meet this weekend for the NDCA B Grade title after Saturday and Sunday’s finals.
The minor premiers booked the hosting rights to this weekend’s grand final after a 50-run win against Wandella.
Rhys Free (36) and Bailey Mitchell (34 not out) guided Nondies to 9/141 off 40 overs, before Lachie Harbinson (four wickets) helped dismiss the Bombers for 91 in the 36th over.
Wandella’s loss meant the side hosted Sunday’s preliminary final against Barham/Koondrook, who stayed in the title race thanks to a 67-run win against Cohuna United.
United’s Jordan White took six wickets to help dismiss the border side for 129 in the 39th over, but fell for 62 in the 30th over.
The Bombers progressed to the grand final after defeating Barham/Koondrook by 35 runs in the preliminary final.
Russell Bott (61 not out) top scored as the Bombers scored 5/186 off 40 overs, before Matt Wilkinson claimed five wickets to dismiss the border side for 151 in the 36th over.
NDCA umpires for grand finals:
A Grade: Leitchville/Gunbower v Wandella – Andy Farley and Neil Bradley at Gunbower.
B Grade: Nondies v Wandella – Colin Davies and Greg Miles at Nondies.
