ARE Able Bulldogs claimed victory in the Swan Hill & District Cricket Association McDonald’s T20 with an 18-run grand final defeat of Beverford Tavern Demons.
The Demons, who won all six of their T20 regular season games, had their winning streak ended in the game it mattered most.
Bulldogs skipper Nathaniel Holmes-Brown said winning their final-round match earlier in the day buoyed his young side’s confidence.
“We really weren’t sure we were even going to make it here, so it was great to put in a good performance early and knock off Wandella,” he said.
“We brought in a bit of a younger side this weekend than we’ve had in previous years, and really relied on some of our younger bowlers to roll the arm over and give it a crack.
“Those younger guys were able to take on a couple of overs for us, and I think they bowled really well.”
Winning the toss, on what was a batting wicket at Swan Hill Recreation Reserve, Holmes-Brown said he was pleased his luck had turned before the first ball.
“It was a great time to win the toss and bat first,” he said.
“We could have a bit more of an idea about what the pitch was doing and how the conditions were playing.
“I haven’t won many tosses as skipper – I’ve probably won three in the past two years – but this is the one you want to win.”
Openers Jonty Chaproniere and Charlie King set the tone early in their innings, making 41 and 28 respectively, before both were dismissed by Demons captain Ben Shadbolt.
Bulldogs wicketkeeper Bailey Codling carried on his form from the earlier match, where he scored a half-century.
Codling smacked the ball all over the park on his way to a blistering 49 off just 24 balls, including five massive sixes that targeted the narrow square boundary of the oval.
Holmes-Brown described Codling’s day out as second to none.
“He was just great today, we’ve always rated him as a very good cricketer here,” Holmes-Brown said.
“He’s batted very well today and we’re all really proud of his performance.
“His keeping is an area of his game that goes a bit unnoticed at times, but the ability to provide us with runs and keep as well is really important.”
Codling looked on track for a mammoth score, before being dismissed by a leaping one-handed catch from Tristan Dalbon.
Jake Foster was another damaging batsman, smashing 41 off 28 balls with five sixes as the Bulldogs accumulated a total of 4/179.
A man-of-the match innings of 56 runs from Demons opener Dean Harrop wasn’t enough as his side chased the big target.
After the loss of Charlie Boulton for 20 at 1/57, Harrop didn’t find sufficient support until it was 3/78 and Justin Toomey came to the crease.
Toomey hit four sixes in just 26 balls on his way to 41, but the Demons’ lower order couldn’t hang on.
Two run-outs highlighted the Bulldogs’ ferocity in the field as the Demons were kept to 8/161.
Holmes-Brown expressed his pride in the performance of his young side.
“It was great display of batting and it was fantastic to see the faith that our boys had in our team,” he said.
“I told our batters that there would be times throughout the game when things might slow up or not go our way, we just had to be patient and wait for that bad ball.
“We just had to trust ourselves with the bat and not allow ourselves to get frustrated.
“Our boys have got so much potential and it’s great to see our side building like this.
“We’ve got the one-day final against Nyah again in a couple of weeks’ time, so we’re more than ready for that challenge again and I’m sure they will be too.”
