West Bairnsdale and Wy Yung will meet in this weekend’s Bairnsdale Cricket Association “A” grade grand final, the rivals taking completely different paths to the decider last week.
Reigning premier, Wy Yung, was outstanding, blitzing Lindenow South Glenaladale with the bat on the back of half centuries to Nick Carroll and Sean Phillipson, before claiming a huge 162-run victory thanks to five wickets from spinner, Marcus Latham, who ripped the heart out of the Bulls’ batting either side of tea.
It was clinical.
On the other hand minor premier, West Bairnsdale, won a one-wicket thriller against Orbost - a team it had beaten convincingly twice in the past month.
In pursuit of 106 for victory, West was cruising at 4/91, however lost 4/2 to slip to 8/93.
What would follow was an absorbing contest as Brad Daniel and Jack Lind - the star on day one with five wickets - defied both Luke Endley and Lachie Donchi for the best part of 10 overs, before a change in bowling saw Max Welsh capture Daniel caught and bowled attempting to work a ball to the leg side.
West was 9/99, needing seven to win.
Lind was joined by Chris Hammond, the pair continuing West’s resolute defence before a single to Hammond put Lind on strike.
Three balls later a fuller delivery from Welsh was flicked off Lind’s pads to fine leg, the West duo running three to tie the scores and secure a grand final spot. Lind would hit the winning run the following over, finishing six not out off 52 balls - the most valuable six runs of his career.
Orbost’s form heading into the finals suggested West would cruise to victory. Instead it was made to work in a character- building performance.
This weekend’s clash, at Lakes Entrance’s Lakeside Oval, will be must-see viewing.
Former Tigers, David Wolfe and Ray Stevens, will take on the team they won last season’s premiership flag with, while generally the teams have a long-held rivalry.
It will be the masters versus the apprentices, the Tigers packed with experience against the younger West side which lacks no confidence.
Wy Yung, while experienced, has not physically won a grand final in more than 30 years, handed last year’s premiership when COVID forced a premature end to the season.
Stevens and West skipper, Ryan Halford, have won premierships with their home club. Who will hold their nerve? Can Wy Yung break its drought? Has Sunday’s win steeled West for premiership glory?
Time will tell. This grand final is not to be missed.
TIGERS TERRIFIC
An action-packed third over kick-started Wy Yung’s innings against Lindenow South Glenaladale after it won the toss and elected to bat at Tigerland, with Nick Carroll smashing two boundaries to the leg side, surviving a caught behind chance and another huge shout after a ball ballooned off what appeared to be the back of his bat.
After getting through that Nick Greaves over, Carroll signalled his intent, pouncing on anything short while targeting the leg side as he went at a run-a-ball. Todd Murray was more circumspect, he too escaping an early edge behind, before opening his shoulders against spinner, Nathan Pollard.
Carroll reached his half century shortly before the opening drinks break, where the Tigers had surged to 0/83.
Lindenow South Glenaladale needed to make a breakthrough to stem the bleeding. Luckily a mistimed drive from Murray off a Mel Irish full toss did the trick with Sam Howden taking a smart low catch to his left.
Carroll fell in Irish’s next over, skying an attempted hook shot to Matt Baylis, who judged the ball superbly running back with the flight at short square leg.
The Tigers were still in control at 2/104, however Irish’s double breakthrough put a halt to the Wy Yung runs.
Daniel Gledhill (14 off 53) and Ben Saxon
(18 off 50) could not continue at the earlier run rate as Pollard and Baylis tightened the screws As pressure mounted shortly before the tea break, Gledhill played an uncharacteristic cut shot off a rather full Scott Davidson delivery, edging behind and giving life to the
Bulls. Baylis then trapped Saxon in front and the
Tigers had slipped from 0/103 to 4/136. Stevie Bertino and Sean Phillipson were charged with putting Wy Yung’s innings back on track. After an absorbing session after the tea break, Phillipson broke the shackles with some trademark big hitting, as he and Bertino (34 off 96) combined for a 95-run fifth wicket partnership.
Phillipson, who hit four boundaries and two sixes, got to within one shot of reaching what would have been his first “A” grade century when he was bowled for 97 off 113 balls on the final ball of the innings.
Despite not reaching three figures,
Phillipson, following on from Carroll and Murray’s superb start, set the Bulls a mammoth chase of 290 for victory.
Irish was the most successful Lindenow South bowler taking 4/53 from 16 overs.
Lindenow South Glenaladale’s run chase started slowly with Baylis and Pollard restricted thanks to tight spells from Darcy Murray (4/34) and Bryce Worboys.
Although not many chances were created, runs were hard to come by.
Baylis was given a life on 16 when a cut shot was misjudged and juggled by Worboys at point, however he fell the next over when deceived by what appeared a Murray slower ball.
It was then Latham (5/32) who turned the screws in the middle overs, taking the wickets of Nathan Pollard (47), Scott Dare (6), Haydn Erfurth (4) and Will O’Keefe (0) prior to the tea break to leave the Bulls reeling at 5/80.
Sam Howden (29) and Scott Davidson (17) dug their heels in after tea, however when the latter became Latham’s fifth scalp, the wheels fell off, Lindenow South Glenaladale losing its final five wickets for seven runs to be all out for 127.
WEST WARRIORS
While west scrapped into the grand final by the skin of its teeth, it dominated day one to set up the victory.
Orbost won the all-important toss and batted first, but things got off to a what has become a predictable start for the Blues when they lost opener captain, Jayden Price, for a duck, caught behind off the bowling of Brad Daniel.
West Bairnsdale was up and about with the ball just missing the edge on numerous occasions and a number of close lbw decisions turned down.
This seemed to be the break Orbost needed to settle in and start to grind out some runs.
Curtley Farley made a steady 30 before falling to match-winner, Lind,
Alex Hulme (10) and Lachie Donchi consolidated the middle order before Donchi was disastrously run out for 27.
Unfortunately for the Blues the wickets kept falling with batsmen able too occupy the crease for any length of time due too the tight bowling and fielding from West Bairnsdale.
Orbost was all out for 105 from 54.5 overs. West only used three bowlers with Lind the standout taking 5/41 and spinner, Chris Hammond taking 3/20.
Late on day one West’s innings started the same as Orbost’s, losing their opener Luke Henry for a duck and late picking up the valuable wicket off David Wolfe for 17 with Max Welsh claiming both openers.
At the close of play the game was finely balanced with West needing 80 runs for victory at 2/26 with Ray Stevens and Brodie Anderson at the crease.
West lost both men early on day two, however captain, Ryan Halford, played confidently and had his side within reach of victory, cruising to 39 before being dismissed caught and bowled by a Donchi screamer.
The game then changed drastically with West losing Liam Giove, Mitch Dewar and Atley Williams without scoring.
Orbost applied outstanding pressure with the ball through Luke Endley and Donchi and had West teetering at 9/99, still needing seven runs for victory when Welsh claimed the wicket of Daniel for six off 43 deliveries.
However, Lind stood up when required and waited for the right ball to secure the victory.
Welsh finished with 4/26, Endley 2/23 and Donchi 3/14.
LOWER GRADES
Paynesville and Bruthen will meet in the “B” grade grand final at Wy Yung.
The Gulls secured their spot in the decider with a massive seven-wicket win over West Bairnsdale Green.
Led by a terrific spell of 4/3 from five overs off Shane Rabbitt, and 3/11 from Jake Keown, Paynesville knocked West over for 85. Sam Stewart top scored with 21.
In reply Paynesville cruised home on the back of an unbeaten 45 from Aaron Cameron. Leg spinner Jacob Zumach took three wickets for West.
Bruthen made its way through to the decider when rain ended its semi final against St Mary’s Nagle.
Chasing 159 for victory, Bruthen was 0/31 after 9.2 overs when rain ended play – an unfortunate end to the Saints’ season. In “C” grade, Metung Swan reach will go toe- to-toe with Lindenow after the latter claimed a three-wicket win with fives over to spare in its semi final against Buchan. Metung Swan
Reach easily defeated Paynesville White.
GRAND FINALS
“A” grade: West Bairnsdale v Wy Yung, at Lakes Entrance (Don Haley, Eric Jamieson).
“B” grade: Paynesville v Bruthen, at Wy Yung (Ron Smith, Martin Blennerhassett).
“C” grade: Lindenow v Metung Swan Reach, at Wy Yung (John Hine, Peter Usher).

IMAGE:
Wy Yung opening batsman, Nick Carroll, sprinted to a day one half century as he set up the Tigers’ massive Bairnsdale Cricket Association “A” grade semi final win over Lindenow South Glenaladale with a dashing 71 at Tigerland. K74-3080