SUNRAYSIA Cricket Association heavyweights Gol Gol and Irymple will do battle in this weekend’s first division grand final.
Gol Gol star Wade Hancock’s classy century headlined a 108-run win over Mildura West, while the Swallows’ bowling attack stifled Mildura East in their 44-run victory.
Hancock’s unbeaten 111 proved the catalyst for the NSW side’s passage to the grand final, the knock including 12 boundaries and a maximum as he made his second ton for the year.
Gol Gol were in a good place early thanks to openers Sheldon Calaraco (31) and Greg Beresi (25), however when captain-coach Adam Thomson and the dangerous Shacaya Thomas fell not long after, they were wobbling at 4-76.
Hancock, however, was the ever present, taking his side to 212 from 78.2 overs.
West gun bowler Jasper Presswell took 3/51 and Locke Thornton 3/41 as they prepared to face a solid run chase.
Gol Gol opening bowlers Luke Hickey and Matt Cameron, however, ran through the West top order, their early work leaving the visitors reeling at 8/51.
A solid fightback from veterans Joe Fleri (33 not out) and Shane Driscoll (24) showed some fight, however West were all out for 104.
Hickey (4/21), Cameron (3/33) and Jayden Brooks (2/16) finished with the best bowling figures.
Mildura East would have been buoyed at the prospect of chasing just 150 for victory after a solid bowling spell held Irymple’s dangerous batting attack at bay.
However, some early wickets lost at the end of day one and some brilliant Swallows performances saw the home side take the victory.
The Swallows lost early wickets including competition leading run scorer Scott Steel for 10 and skipper Mark Thomson for four, having the Swallows at 4/47.
A well worked unbeaten 45 from Liam Garlick, well supported by 20 from Billy Phelan, helped push the total out further until they were dismissed for 149 in the 62nd over.
Luke Hansen had the best figures for East bowlers with 3/27 from four overs, while veteran Andrew Ross (2/22) and vice-captain Nick Dorman (2/37) also claimed multiple scalps.
Irymple struck a massive blow early when Bailey Anderson bowled the dangerous Liam Naylor for a duck in the fourth over of the innings, and eventually found themselves in some real trouble at 5/69.
East skipper Brad Thomas made a patient 59 as he held up an end but once he was dismissed, the final few wickets came not long after as they finished all out for 105 after 83 overs.
Thomson (3/11) and coach Bryson Lush (3/14) had the best bowling figures while Steel added 2/26 to his match figures.
The SCA grand final begins Saturday at 1pm at Alcheringa Oval.
