FLANELLED FOOLS: 21 MARCH 2017

Cricket Round-Up By GREG PRINGLE*

A great finish to the competition’s first tied Grand Final

In a dramatic Grand Final that went down to the final ball, Cudal and Country have been declared joint Premiers of the Oilsplus Competition after scores were tied at the completion of both innings.

A big crowd witnessed both teams fail to capitalise on opportunities to score heavily during the match.

Country batted first after winning the toss and were in command of the game, being 1/80 at drinks.

A total of 200-plus was not an out-of-sight prospect for the Minor Premiers but great fielding by Cudal and a very slow run rate took a lot of the momentum away from Country.

After a brilliant start by their openers, Brett Wykes (28) and Trent Fraser (66), Country appeared to be cruising to back-to-back premierships.

But after those two departed the scene Country really struggled.

Gun batsmen Nigel Brazier (6) and Andrew Heath (2) came and went, and suddenly Country appeared vulnerable.

Some outstanding catches by Cudal’s fielders under pressure contributed to restricting Country’s excellent batsmen.

Matt Hobbs (26) and Damien Hayes (18) batted well and saved Country from an embarrassing total after such a promising start, to reach a total of 8/164 after their 40 overs.

Cudal showed their excellent all-round talent when the bowlers shared the wickets — with Wood (2/39 from 10 overs), Troy Adams (1/35 from eight), Tim Kennedy (2/28 from 10), Lee Cornish (2/29 from eight) and Chris Douglas (1/14 from two) all contributing to restricting what should have been a mammoth Country total.

Evidence shows that chasing any total at the Molong Rec Ground in a Grand Final is difficult, but Cudal’s openers Chris Douglas and Pete Tattersals (44) got Cudal off to the perfect start.

However, when they departed gun batsman Luke Wood fell cheaply (1) and Cudal started to get the wobbles at 4/54.

Enter Tim Kennedy. Cudal’s most consistent batsman brought Cudal back into the match with a very uncharacteristic, patient innings.

Batsman came and went after Cudal found themselves cruising to victory, putting unnecessary pressure on Kennedy.

But Kennedy, with the assistance of a brilliant late cameo from Jock Hough (33), brought the game down to the wire.

With the scores tied and one ball remaining, Kennedy was caught trying to hit the winning run, with Brett Wykes taking the match-tying catch — remarkably his sixth for the game.

An outstanding five-wicket haul by Dan Toyton (5/31 from 10 overs) and tight bowling from Gladys Berejklian’s very own favourite, Jock Haynes (3/28 from eight), allowed Country to fight back.

At the end of the game both teams appeared confused, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

After some robust dialogue and great sportsmanship, both captains, Nigel Brazier and Lee Cornish, agreed on becoming unprecedented joint Premiers.

Match umpires, Allan Hubbard and Kirt Drady, awarded joint man-of-the-match awards to Cudal’s Tim Kennedy and Country’s Trent Fraser.

The official awards for the season have already been outlined (http://molong.com.au/sport/news/2017/03_17/grand-final/grand-final.html) on this site, but here are my unofficial awards:

—  The Bensons & Hedges Loyalty Award: Brett Johnson (Magpies).

— The Most Niggly Injury Award: For a record seventh straight season, to David Hobbs (Magpies).

— The Most Annoying Captain Award: Lee Cornish (Cudal), again.

— The Most Annoying Teammate Award: Andrew Heath (Country) … everyone loved him until he started scoring runs.

— Best Sledger Award: Ben Brown (Telegraph), largely for jibes directed at his own team.

— Pretty Boy Award: Jim Gavin (Magpies).

— Ugly Boy Award: Jim Gavin (Magpies).

— The Costi Brothers Seafood Award for Most Consistent Customer, I mean player: Joe Clayton (Country).

— The Gladys Premier’s Award for Most Gorgeous Player: Jock Haynes (Country).

— The Former Deputy Premier and Member for Police & Emergency Services Pest Award: Jock Haynes (Country).

— The Bushfire-Fund-Raising-Appeal Award: Country.

— The Missing-in-Action Award: Steve Fairley (Cudal).

— The “Not Out” LBW Award: Country.

— The Most Sober Players Award: Telegraph.

— The Dodgey Knee Award: Damo Hayes (Country).

— Marathon Man Award: Jacob Evans (Magpies)

And lastly, Molong Cricket would like to take the opportunity, after a long hot summer, to thank a number of people and businesses who provide ongoing support to the competition and the teams that participate in our increasingly small but vital sport.

To our major sponsor, Oilsplus, and to Michael Hayes and his team, thank you. Without your generous support we would not have cricket in the Molong District.

John Rozentals of Molong Online, thank you for supporting and circulating information about local cricket through your excellent website.

To the other supporters and team sponsors, thank you — Freemasons Hotel, Telegraph Hotel, BP Molong, Pac-Crete Ready Mixed and Minna Murra.

*Greg Pringle is Secretary/Treasurer of Molong District Cricket. He plays for Molong Magpies but swears he is as hard, if not harder, on his own guys as the opposition.