WANDELLA Cricket Club has had a big win over Lakers Cricket Club in the weekend’s Swan Hill District Cricket Association Under-16 grand final, the cherry on top of a ladder-topping season.
The two-day match was played across Friday and Sunday evenings at Kerang’s Riverside Park.
Winning the toss and electing to bat, Wandella were on the front foot immediately; openers Samuel Hollingworth and Nick Oliver putting together a mammoth 140-run first wicket partnership.
Hollingworth was the first to fall for 61 runs, bringing skipper Flynn McKnight to the crease.
Oliver soon followed Hollingworth for 70 runs, while McKnight hit his straps and put together partnerships with Hugh Bremner and Jaspa Chamberlain.
Bremner made six runs and Chamberlain added 23, as Wandella scored a total of 5/232 off their 40 overs.
Jarra Kelly was the pick of the bowlers for the Lakers, taking 2/26 and was well supported by Kye Fleming who claimed 2/48; Flynn Barnes took the other wicket.
The Lakers had a rocky start to their innings, with opener Jarra Kelly dismissed for four.
Kye Fleming soon got the Lakers back on track, accumulating 55 runs as partners fell around him.
It was a strong showing in the field that made the difference for Wandella, two run-outs headlining their determination to stop runs.
Flynn Barnes was a victim of one of the run-outs, as he scored 14 runs after Fleming was dismissed.
Samuel Hollingworth was the pick of Wandella’s bowlers, the only multiple wicket taker with figures of 2/32.
Jaspa Chamberlain managed 1/13 off his eight overs, while Kai Roberts and Abraham Keating took 1/6 and 1/9 respectively.
The Lakers could only manage 7/132 off their 40 overs in response, handing Wandella a big 100-run win in the grand final.
The Murray Raiders were victorious in the Under-13 grand final, defeating RSL at Lake Boga Recreation Reserve.
Batting first, RSL managed a strong total of 90 thanks to 21 runs from Jace Lloyd and eight runs from Archie Brown and Kade Wells.
Murray Raiders’ chase started strongly, Parker Bray and James McDonald scoring a 54-run opening partnership.
Bray top scored with 20, McDonald managed 14 and Xavier Hein 13 before all three retired not-out.
Murray Raiders claimed a four-wicket victory in the grand final.
