The Grampians Cricket Association finals have all gone to script with the number one team in each grade winning reasonably easily.
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Swifts/Great Western basically lost the final by a poor batting display in the first innings when they succumbed to the Tatyoon attack for only 110 runs.
For the rest of the match it was even going, but in the end it was the first innings deficit that was the winning margin.
The Tatyoon wicket and outfield was in great shape and the club is to be congratulated on the match presentation.
Tatyoon wicket keeper Darren Beer was adjudged the Steve Smith medallist by the umpires, Trevor McKinnis and Peter Harris who was umpiring his first A grade final.
Beer was awarded the Steve Smith medal for his innings saving 73 in the second innings.
It was a big week for Darren, welcoming a newborn into the family as well as a premiership.
Congratulations on both achievements.
Apparently there was one player from Tatyoon who forgot that the finals start at 11am and arrived on the first day for a 1pm start, initials MM.
The three days play took its toll on a few players, Tatyoon's Michael Harricks succumbing to a stomach complaint, Tim McDougall had work commitments, and Swifts/Great Western's Marc Brilliant broke down and was unable to bowl in the second innings.
The match was bereft of quality bowlers on day three, and if spinner Matt Harris hadn't chimed in with a five for, the result could have been quite different.
A dramatic collapse by Navarre in its second innings ended their tilt at the flag.
Set 240 runs in 36 overs Navarre collapsed to be all out for 61, with 14 the best by any batsman.
Earlier Navarre's bowlers had done their job by restricting Chalambar's first innings to 165, their lowest score for quite some time, but its batsmen didn't fire and finished 20 odd runs short.
Chalambar's second innings was a little better, but if it hadn't been for Aaron Jenkins' innings-saving 82, Chalambar's innings would have looked ordinary.
At the post match presentations GCUA's Scotney Hayter was presented with the Umpire of the Year trophy.
This award is voted by the A Grade teams on a 3-2-1 basis.
Congratulations to Scotney and to all umpires who umpired the finals, all received high praise from participating players.
It's fair to say that Rhymney/Moyston dropped any chance of a premiership by poor fielding, dropping numerous catches in both games, adding credence to that old saying "catches win matches".
Game one was dominated by Andrew Wood who ensured an easy win when he retired on 100.
Rhymney/Moyston fell 70 odd runs short in the first of two games.
Game two was a much more even contest with Aradale needing 24 runs from six overs to win.
Aradale achieved this leaving them the winner of the best of three contest.