By Jonty Ralphsmith
A GRADE
Legendary off-spinner Dwayne Doig has bowled Cardinia to a premiership with a typically tight spell of slow bowling on the weekend.
The two best clubs all year faced off in the A Grade final, and Tooradin had the early running.
After looking comfortable at 1/65, Bailey Lownds ran out Jacobus Hynes to trigger a collapse which saw Cardinia bowled all out for 114.
Tooradin made the target seem like a steep mountain to climb though, with opening bowler Josh Browne and Doig combining to keep Tooradin at bay.
The pair got nine wickets between them, attacking with the knowledge that they needed to bowl the opposition out, yet keeping it so economical that the pressure was heaped on the batters.
Browne finished with 4/44 off 24 and Doig 5/29 off 22.5.
Ben Mantel and Luke Adams were the Seagulls to offer resistance with the bat, Doig claiming both of them in an inspired performance.
B GRADE
It was a classic at Lawson Poole.
Third-placed Cranbourne Meadows and fourth-placed Clyde provided excitement, clutch moments, and plenty of momentum shifts.
The final ball decided the match.
Needing four to win, Dav Narayan Brijesh, on 24 off 42, couldn’t find the boundary, with himself and his partner, number 11 Ross Elston, scrambling in search of three.
But a run-out ensued, Cranbourne Meadows pipping them by two runs.
A 32-run partnership between the pair got the game so deep, but Cranbourne Meadows did just enough early to secure the victory.
Opening bowler Jujhar Singh was the hero.
He got 6/70 off 30 including the first three, bowling throughout and keeping the pressure right on.
Six players got a start of at least 20 for Clyde, yet none could play a match-winning hand and see them beyond the target of 193.
Sanjeev Dhankhar played that steady innings for Cranbourne Meadows, scoring 63 from number three.
Stuart Williams and Elston both bowled well for Clyde picking up four wickets each to keep the opposition in check.
C GRADE
It was the batters who did the job for Pakenham to see them to a premiership on Saturday.
Half-centuries to opener Anthony Poonweera and Troy Wilson – dismissed obstructing the field in bizarre circumstances – with contributions from Scott Webster and an unbeaten Zac Downes helped Pakenham reach 7/233.
That gave the bowlers the assistance of scoreboard pressure to work with, Cooper Newnham leading the way.
The opening bowler made a mess of the top order, taking 5/32 off 18, his second bag of wickets in three matches.
Newnham was named Man of the Match for his five-wicket haul.
D GRADE
They might have limped into finals in fourth position, but the D Grade premiership is in the possession of Kooweerup.
Brent Wilson was the staple at the top with 74 which helped anchor the total of 8/206, while Lachie Walsley played an important role batting with the tail, ensuring his team batted out the overs.
With Emerald at 3/3 in reply, it looked like it would be a walk in the park for Kooweerup.
But Grand Finals are strange beasts.
Ian Crosher and Jack Raukola stabilised in an 85-run partnership, scoring 141 runs between them, yet Emerald was able to post a total of only 181.
Nicholas Booth led the bowling attack with 5/57, while Cooper Davey made it a big day for the family claiming two of those early wickets.
E GRADE
Tooradin was able to carry its strong home and away form into finals and all the way to a premiership.
After a 35-run opening partnership, Pakenham collapsed to be all out for 99.
First change bowler Craig Dicks was the pick of the bowlers, picking up five wickets.
The chase, though, wasn’t straight-forward – it was a typically tricky small run-chase with 34 maidens – and 75 overs – needing to be bowled for Tooradin to reach the target.
Darcy Freeman’s unbeaten 20 off 116 proved important in the context of the game.
F GRADE
Sealed with a six!
Devon Meadows has clinched the F Grade premiership with a Lincoln Hepburn maximum securing the victory.
Antony Scott’s middle-order 68 lifted the ladder-leading Panthers to the premiership, his first with the club, winning man of the match.
It was Arthur Churchill’s and Peter Zauner’s third consecutive premiership – Churchill has now played in six grand finals winning them all.
Veteran Zauner, a seam-up bowler, was the pick of the attack with 3/21 off 14 opening up.
