By JARROD POTTER
WGCA Sub-District Division review – grand final
MYRMECIA – Colloquial name: Bullant. Characterised by their aggressive behaviour and powerful stings, the Bullants have always been difficult to handle in the wild.
Confined in the WGCA to the Sub-District Division in 2013/14, the Bullants’ local population has found a way to spread into District Division for the next season with a rousing takedown of the Bulls.
Officer (185) came from the brink of defeat to win the Sub-District Division grand final, easily dispatching Cardinia (75) after an early collapse.
The first dents in the Officer innings were inflicted by Brayden Browne (2/57) and Ricky Campbell (1/26) to chip away at the armour before Josh Browne completely destroyed it.
Captain James Parnall (25) and wicketkeeper Brett Nielsen (28) put on 55 for the second wicket to keep the Bulls at bay, but once Parnall fell to Campbell, the fun began in earnest for Cardinia.
In a spell of unbridled power, Bulls’ spearhead Josh Browne (6/34) ravaged the Bullants at every turn; his 21 overs reaped 10 maidens and six wickets starting from the top/middle order.
From removing Sub-District’s powerhouse all-rounder Prince Singh (4) for next to nothing, as Browne claimed four wickets for zero. Breathe that in to let the carnage really sink in. Then 2/70 found a way to turn into 6/70 and became even worse at 7/81 as Peter Quinn succumbed to… Josh Browne.
Officer needed rescuing and needed it fast to keep premiership hopes alive and the match-winners stood tall from the lower order.
Jesse Longmuir (23) managed to hold on through the Browne carnage and gained a willing partner in David Collins (63). The pair hit about a 45-run partnership – contextually significant from the lower order given the problems ahead if they were dismissed.
Longmuir finally succumbed after 23 – becoming the last victim in the Josh Browne smackdown.
Adam Reid (0) fell soon after – leaving Collins and Jesse Quinn (5 not out) to make something of the day and post a reasonable tally.
Only promoted to the Sub-District side for the last two matches of the season – Collins spun magic as he flogged the Bulls about Officer Recreation Reserve.
Quinn defended his end and posted a few runs as well, but succeeded in the greater mission to stick out there with Collins.
Their defiant 58-run partnership, a season record for Sub-District’s last wicket, turned the tables on Cardinia and put the Bulls back in the barn.
Dispatching the Bulls on Sunday was the easy part as man of the match Brett Reid (5/35) stormed through the Cardinia order en route to the premiership as Collins (2/23) also held up his end of the bargain with the ball.
Officer captain Parnall said the tooth-and-nail way the Bullants fought their way back into the match was amazing and he never thought they had it in the bag until the final scalp.
“I was lost for words when we started taking wickets,” Parnall said. “I couldn’t… I was literally over the moon.
“The game wasn’t over until we took wicket number 10, so it was never our game until we got it, but when we got there I was rapt and our team was rapt.”
District Division will receive Officer in 2014/15 while Catani will be demoted to Sub-District.
