Goulburn's big wet had the first grade in grave doubt right up till 2pm on Sunday when the players finally took the field in a match shortened to one day with play reduced to 36 overs for each team on Wexted Oval.
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Hibo skipper Brad Smith won the toss and had no hesitation in sending Stags to the batting crease. The move was to prove instantly successful when Mik Webber claimed the Stags skipper, caught by Brad Mitchell, at short mid on for 0 and Stags 1/1, which was to become 2/2 when Smith had Jesse Cao well caught by Dale Cummins in slips. Stags registered a third duck when Kel Sansom was caught by Sam Cosgrove off Webber to be 3/9 with Josh Watling watchful at the other end but also looking very secure.
Watling was to build an innings that dominated the match. He was rock solid and watchful early in his innings and with time at the crease his shot-making gradually increased to playing shots all around the ground with 4s and 6s. He was particularly effective with lofted drives, and a remarkable innings of 86 not out in Stags total of 116. His dominance was highlighted by no other getting double figures. Fifteen sundries meant the other 10 Stags batsmen contributed just 16 runs. It is hard to find superlatives for Watto’s innings except to say I can’t remember a better one in local cricket.
Webber led the Hibo bowling attack with 4/17 off 7 overs, ably supported by James Kent (2/11), Ryan Day (2/28), Smith (1/32) and Brad Mitchell (1/21).
The Hibo innings mirrored the Stags’ start with Hibo 1/1 when Jim Wilson bowled Day, and became 2/6 when Kurt Langbein was adjudged lbw off Connor Murrell for 4. This became 3/9 when Wilson claimed Hamish Copland. Webber and Dale Cummins mounted a revival for Hibo to lift the score to 4/35 when Webber holed out to deep mid wicket to be caught by Watling off Mitch Cook for 4. Cummins was next to go for a very well made 28 in an innings which was to look like countering Watling’s, but he was out lbw to Sansom, and Hibo now 5/48. They continued to lose wickets steadily to be all out for 60.
Hibo batsmen had difficulty with the light later in the innings, but Stags must get credit for accurate and incisive bowling. Cummins was the only Hibo batsman to reach double figures. Skipper Dan Cooper led the Stags bowling attack with 4/11 off 6 overs, supported by the consistent Jim Wilson (2/15), Sansom (2/6), Murrell (1/12) and Cook (1/15).
The Hibo skipper presented the premiership shield to Dan Cooper with both praising the competiveness of the other. Smith was lavish in his praise of Watling’s innings, which was the match winner.
The first grade awards were presented, with the champion player for the year going to Josh Watling in a fitting finale. The bowling average went to Brad Mitchell with 20 wickets. James Kent also received the second grade champion player award.
In second grade, Workers Super Stags were made premiers as a result of finishing higher on the ladder over Bowling Club and this scenario was echoed in third grade with Hibo Colts were awarded the premiership over Coolavin Colts.
This brought the curtain down on cricket for the 2016/2017 season.
- PREMIERS: (pictured, back) Workers Stags’ Shane Wilson, James Wilson, Josh Ryrie, Connor Murrell, Aaron Swanson, (front) Andrew Tivey, Jesse Cao, Jack Murdoch, Josh Watling, Dan Cooper ©, Mitch Cook and Kel Sansom.
