NYAH District will get the opportunity to secure back-to-back Kookaburra Cup premierships after the Demons won their way through to this season’s decider with a four-wicket victory over Ultima TUF on Saturday afternoon.
With four wins from their first five matches, Nyah District sit a game clear of RSL, Woorinen and Barham Koondrook at the top of the one-day competition ladder, with just one round remaining.
In what shapes as a much anticipated climax to the competition, both RSL and Woorinen will clash in the final game, with the winner guaranteed to face the Demons, with the Raiders chances ruined by having the bye.
Batting first, Ultima TUF found themselves in early trouble at 4/34 against the Demons, before a 63-run fifth wicket partnership from Lachlan Edwards (45) and Mitch Seton-Stewart (21) not only steadied the Roodogs ship, but set them on the path to a defendable target.
The dismissals of both set batsmen within the space of five balls changed the course of the innings however, with Ultima TUF losing their last six wickets for 31 runs to be dismissed for 128 in the 37th over.
Joel Walsh (3/20) and Cooper Andrews (3/45) were the pick of the bowlers, with Demons captain Ben Shadbolt and Jacob Lister also picking up two wickets each, with Shadbolt pleased with how his playing group responded after being challenged throughout the middle stages of the innings.
“Their (Ultima/TUF) batting line-up has improved a hell of a lot this season and it was good to start the way we did with those early wickets,” Shadbolt said.
“We probably lost our way a bit and we dropped a couple of catches again, but we fought back well and that’s how we want to finish games with the ball, so it was a good result.
“We said at the start of the day that we would be treating our next two games as finals because we couldn’t really afford to drop one depending on how the results of other games went.
“Thankfully those results went our way, so we’re into another one (Kookaburra Cup grand final) which is great for our club.”
As has been their hallmark this season, the Demons got away to a strong start with the bat as Mitchell Grinham (23) and Charlie Boulton (22) put together a 42-run opening partnership, until Josh Waldron tore through their top order, with Nyah District losing 4/27 to give the Roodogs hope of an upset.
That would be as close as they would get however, with Dean Harrop anchoring the Demons innings with an unbeaten 40 to see his side to victory.
“He (Harrop) has gone down a couple of spots in our batting order just through circumstances, but it seems to be working for him and us,” Shadbolt said.
“It just shows that we have that depth with the bat to have guys like Dean bat a little bit lower, and with Max (Thompson) out injured at the moment, it’s good to have another power hitter and strong batter coming in throughout the second half of our innings.”
Waldron would finish as Ultima TUF’s only multiple wicket taker with 3/30 from his eight over spell, with Jordan King and Cassidy Sibley the other wicket takers.
Despite the loss, the Roodogs remain well and truly in the finals race, with Shadbolt impressed with what he saw from Ultima TUF ahead of a must-win match against Wandella.
“They showed good intent with bat and ball which was really good to see,” Shadbolt said.
“They were ready to win the game and that’s something we haven’t necessarily seen from them consistently over the last couple of seasons.
“It was really good to see them come back and put up a bit of a fight, they’ll be tough to beat at times throughout this season especially if they can keep that team on the park.”
