Phillip Island on top in cricket grand final

WONTHAGGI Club has won the toss and elected to bat in the A Grade Division 1 grand final of Leongatha and District Cricket Association at Scorpion Park in Leongatha today, Saturday, March 23.

Club appeared to have started well with openers Mitch Thomas and Emmet Dempsey both getting the runs flowing early but the ball was moving around in the overcast conditions and it wasn’t long before George McCausland got the breakthrough, with Dempsey nicking through to Lachie Cleeland for 11.

Ben Walsh was out soon after, having faced just four balls, caught by Brodie Johnston again off the bowling of McCausland for four. Suddenly it was Phillip Island with the ascendency and using the conditions to advantage.

Mitch Thomas stuck around for 40 deliveries and managed three nice 4s on his way to 15 but his departure, also off McCausland through to Cleeland continued the period of instability for Club.

Ryan Thomas worked hard to return some stability to the innings, facing 37 deliveries for his 13 but the Island were right on top this time with Tom Niven chipping in to produce the nick.

Unlucky last match, to be given out off his pads, Stewart Beaumont had nonetheless enjoyed plenty of time in the centre and he put that experience to good use by blunting the Island attack in a key partnership with Ryan Thomas initially and then Club captain Joel Brann but the tension was palpable with Phillip Island energetic in the field and expecting a wicket with every ball.

Beaumont was out for 11 but crucially faced 95 balls and allowed Brann to get set.

The problem for the captain was finding someone to stay with him with Alex Geyer out cheeply, Club slumping to 6/93.

Club has successfully been able to fight rearguard actions before, and produced testing totals for their opposition but its going to be tough from here.

As they say though, any total up towards the 200 mark in a grand final takes some getting and you never know what the par score is on a wicket until the other team bats.

But, after a morning and earky afternoon of cricket at Scorpion Park, Phillip Island, the reigning premiers are clearly on top.

In other games

* A Grade Division Two: Glen Alvie 2/93 off 40 overs at Butch West Oval Wonthaggi (Koonwarra/Leongatha RSL won the toss and elected to bowl).

* B Grade Division One: OMK 5/58 off 46 overs at Bass (Phillip Island won the toss and elected to bowl).

* B Grade Division Two: OMK 4/113 off 44 overs at Wonthaggi’s McMahon Reserve (OMK won the toss and elected to bat).

* C Grade: Kilcunda-Bass 3/194 off 44 overs at Outtrim. Steven Oates 104 off 133 deliveries. Killy-Bass won the toss and elected to bat versus Phillip Island.

Follow the scores on PlayHQ at https://www.playhq.com/cricket-australia/org/leongatha-and-district-cricket-association/1-senior-leongatha-and-district-cricket-association-summer-202324/ab34a93e