A MAN-of-the-match performance from an opener sealed Nyah District’s 13th Kookaburra Cup victory.
Claiming a seven-wicket victory, the Demons took just 28.2 overs to chase down the St Mary’s Tyntynder total of 129.
Charlie Boulton smashed 63 runs off 75 balls, including three sixes, to lead the way.
Boulton had support from his opening partner Dean Harrop, who scored 23, and No.3 Shane Fleming’s 20.
Nyah skipper Ben Shadbolt described Boulton’s performance as “superb”.
“Charlie was second to none out there,” he said.
“He was smacking the ball to wherever he wanted. It was a lot of fun to watch.
“He knows where his strengths are and really plays to those strengths.
“Charlie is one of our better bowlers too and only got the two overs today.
“He still got the big breakthrough that he was after – he got (Bailey) Codling, who just always looks like he’s going to score.”
Shadbolt said his side’s bowling performance had set his side up.
“We really wanted to just keep hitting that back of a length and force them into playing the bad shot,” he said.
“St Mary’s are such a class outfit, we had them at 1/60 and they were looking quite good.
“But credit has to go to our bowlers and our fielders, they did a great job at restricting their total.
“We stuck to that plan well, and really drew them into those false shots.
“I think the rain that we had overnight definitely helped a bit; it was a great toss to lose.”
With a slightly damp pitch to contend with, the players were also up against a blustery breeze that changed direction throughout the day.
For much of the Bulldogs’ innings the wind was blowing almost directly across the pitch, adding an extra challenge.
Following the dismissal of Jonty Chaproniere for 11, Charlie King and Jack Shannahan worked to steady the ship against a multi-pronged Nyah bowling attack.
But with the pair dismissed for 34 and 22, respectively, Nyah’s bowlers got to work.
Nyah young gun Max Thompson was the pick of the bowlers, finishing with 3/26 off his eight overs, while Joel Walsh took 2/25 and Alex Wilson 2/28.
With 40 overs to reach 130, Shadbolt said his side had the experience to chase the total with patience.
“We didn’t want to lose early wickets,” he said.
“Then when we got around no wickets for 30, we really started to settle.
“When Shane (Fleming) came in, we knew he’d suit that role perfectly.
“He came out, knowing that we had some time and took that time, before getting into the innings and started to play his shots.”
Shadbolt described winning the final as “unreal” and said the tight-knit nature at Nyah was a key to success.
“We’ve spent so much time together as a team,” he said.
“We all enjoy each other’s company so much and it’s such a fantastic club to play at.
“We’ve got our name on the trophy 13 times now, we’ve got some of older blokes who have a lot of experience in this competition.
“‘Flemmo’ has won 10 of these, Justin Toomey has won seven, so it’s really great for us to get up and get another one for them.
“Max Thompson, Cooper Andrews and Mitch Grinham all won their first ones too.
“I coached Cooper, Charlie and Mitch when we were all younger and now I’m winning premierships with them, it’s just an unreal feeling.”
