MILDURA East will meet Irymple in this weekend’s Sunraysia Cricket Association grand final after an upset victory over reigning champions Gol Gol.
It was only the minor premiers’ second loss of the season, the hard-fought two wicket win sealing East’s first trip to the big dance since their last flag in 2014.
The Swallows have beaten Nichols Point in a semi-final match-up for the second year in a row, with captain Mark Thomson and vice-captain Billy Phelan leading from the front to ensure the nine-wicket victory.
East co-captain Andrew Ross got the early breakthrough sending Aidan Calarco and Shac Thomas to the sheds for low scores, and when Jayden Hunt had Wade Hancock caught on the boundary for 21, East had the reigning champions at 3/46.
Skipper Adam Thomson (24) and Sheldon Calarco (30) set about steadying the ship with a 46-run stand, but Gol Gol still found themselves in unusual territory at 5/100.
Veteran Tom Vadlja helped clean up the tail to finish with 3/9, and when Hunt cleaned up Jayden Brooks to take 4/28, Gol Gol were all out for 126.
English opening duo Josh Andrews (17) and Josh Andrews (9) had them at 0/27 at stumps before Luke Hickey claimed them both to start day two without adding to their score.
Tom Vadlja and Josh Berry soon followed to leave East in a precarious position at 4/44.
East co-captain Brad Thomas and Regan Connell helped steady the ship with a 32-run partnership before Connell went for 18.
Thomas was next out at 6/88 after making 32 from 145 deliveries, showing tremendous concentration to preserve his wicket.
While navigating the final overs at a snail’s pace, East lost some late wickets but an unbeaten 29 from 80 for Ross ensured they made it across the line.
Spinner Than Rajapakse was the best of the Gol Gol bowlers with 3/27, while Shac Thomas took 2/42 from a marathon 36.3 overs.
Irymple fast bowler Phelan did the early damage against Nichols Point, taking 4/26 as Irymple restricted the home side to 106 all out.
He made the early breakthrough by having the in-form Nick Black caught behind by Jordan Payne for a duck on the second ball of the match.
Riley Jobson, Colby Marr and Lewis Dichiera followed soon after to leave the Pointers in dire straights at 4/11.
Captain Shaun Mathews played an outstanding anchor role in the middle order finishing unbeaten on 52, but got little support outside of Archie Walker’s 25.
Alongside Phelan, Bailey Anderson bowled well to take 2/26.
At stumps the Swallows were 0/11 with Riley Payne on nine and Thomson on two and despite the former being dismissed for 11 by Dichiera at 1/32, the captain continued his outstanding batting form.
Thomson finished with a superb 63 not out from 73 delivers, sharing an unbeaten 73-run partnership with David Filippi (28 not out).
The grand final begins at 1pm on Saturday and will continue on Sunday.
