BDCA GRAND FINAL: The Hay Park Redbacks overcame the odds in the LGM Industries Bunbury and Districts Cricket Association grand final on the weekend, lifting the silverware after beating Collie in convincing fashion.
Collie’s batting order never seemed up to the task as man-of-the-match Ross Knoll tore through the Coalminers’ line-up.
Knoll claimed 3/12 in the first innings, backing it up with a strong 3/21 the next day.
After winning the toss and electing to bat first, the Coalminers’ first innings got off to a shaky start.
Losing the early wickets of David O’Brien (4), Mark Williams (10), Blair Malatesta (7), Seth White (0) and Chris Michalak (0) left Collie in a day-one hole.
Sitting at 5/26, the Coalminers needed a hefty effort from their middle and tail order.
Unfortunately Jebb Swallow was the only one to produce much result, hitting 55 for his side.
Swallow received support from number nine in the order Thomas Plummer who hit 25, as the Coalminers finished their first innings with the score of 137.
Going in to bat, Hay Park got off to the same worrisome start as the Coalminers.
But luckily Knoll and Mark Steven were able to steady the ship.
Steven posted 26 runs coming in at number three while Knoll put on a strong display of batting posting 56 runs.
Ben Saunders also contributed with 20 runs while Chris Waddingham and Kris Miller put up 12 each.
Despite a four wicket haul from Collie’s Steven Ireland, Hay Park finished their innings 37 runs in front with the score of 174 runs.
Collie was off to a stronger start in the second innings with O’Brien (21) and White (44) doing their best to get their team back on top.
But a collapse in the tail order saw Collie’s last six batsmen put up a mere 20 runs between them as they finished the innings with just 126 runs, leaving Hay Park chasing 90 for the win.
The Redbacks began their following innings with promise, notching 38 runs before losing the wicket of Jono Whitney for 24 runs.
Steve Florance was the next to go on 16 runs before Mark Steven was dismissed for 20.
However the wickets did not stray the Redbacks, who chased down the target in less than 20 overs.
The grand final win ends the run of Colts who had taken home the previous four trophies.
