New Norfolk II's back-to-back grand finals

New Norfolk II team members, back from left: Nathan Rice,
 Richard Graham, Bradley Chaplin, Sam Hoggett, Stewart Rice
and Mitchell Crosswell; front: David Maddox, captain Jake King,
 vice captains Rohan Heron and Jamie Hill, and Josh Walsh.

AFTER accounting for Gretna I in the Southern Cricket Association second grade grand final by 54 runs at Tynwald Park last Saturday, New Norfolk II are premiers for the second season in a row.

The match ebbed and flowed throughout, with the home side holding firm and proving why it was the best team all season. After being sent in to bat, the Red Caps capitalised, posting the very good score of 8/237 from their 50 overs.

Openers Jake King and Rohan Heron grasped the opportunity and really set up their team's innings up with a brilliant 135 run stand, with captain King making 65 from 92 deliveries (hitting five 4s and a 6), while Heron wasn’t far behind with 60 also from 92 and hitting six 4. The openers continued to take on the field, with their quick singles a real highlight.

With the score on 135, King was bowled and New Norfolk then lost 6/20, but Dave Maddox, with 45 runs from 51 balls faced (two 4s, two 6s) and Mitchell Crosswell with 14 (18) kept the scoreboard ticking over with a 55-run partnership. When both batsmen went in the space of two runs the score was 8/212 with 2.4 overs remaining. Bradley Chaplin with a quickfire 22no from 10 deliveries, and Josh Walsh 4no from 8, finished things off. Chaplin was the standout, hitting the last three deliveries of the 50th and final over for 6s, which got the momentum going for the remainder of the match for the Red Caps.

Bowling for Gretna, Trent Grant took 4-43 in a great spell. Grant had three maidens in his 10 overs, and his caught-and-bowled of Sam Hoggett was a beauty. Spinner Jamie Duggan was concentrative with 1-26 from seven overs while Jackson Ackerly took 1-27 (5) and Mathew Burns 1-48 (9).

In reply with the bat, Gretna openers Ben Rainbird 18 and Marc Worldon 10 put on 21 together. Next in, Rhys Browning 16 put on 34 with Rainbird, but the team then lost regular wickets and was struggling at 8-90. Then came Aaron Maddox and Corey Ransley who gave their team some fresh hope, breathing life back into the match with a quickfire 91-run stand for the ninth wicket. Maddox made 58 from 72 deliveries, hitting four 4s and two 6s, while Ransley belted 46 from just 35 with three 4s and two 6s. Unfortunately for Gretna, it wasn’t enough in the end, and after 47.1 overs, the team was bowled out for 183 and the cup was in the Red Caps' hands.

Man-of-the match Mitchell Crosswell.

Man-of-the-match Mitchell Crosswell bowled well, capturing three of the top five batsmen and finishing with great figures of 4-20 off his 10 overs. The former Bushy Park all-rounder is a very happy man at his new club. Stewart Rice was tidy for his team, taking 2-21 from 8.1 overs. Nathan Rice picked up 2-43 (8) while opener Brad Chaplin had a great all-round day with 1-29 (6) and Richard Graham was 1-42 off 10 overs which included four maidens.

It was a great effort from the New Norfolk Cricket Club, which put on a great day both on and off the field. Well done to club president Jamie Hill and his committee for a well-run day and mention must go the the Derwent Valley Council for the preparation of the ground, it was certainly in very good condition. Captains Jake King and Ben Rainbird spoke well after the match and said it was great to see two Derwent Valley clubs playing off in the big one. It just goes to show how much cricket talent there is in the valley.

WADE GLEESON

KSCA GRAND FINAL RESULTS

SECOND GRADE: New Norfolk II 8/237 off 50 overs defeated. Gretna I 10/183 off 47.1 overs at Tynwald Park.
THIRD GRADE: St Aidans 9/138 off 49.2 overs defeated Bagdad 10/135 off 47.4 overs at Cambridge Oval.
FOURTH GRADE: St Virgil’s 6/217 off 50 overs defeated Hobart 8/213 off 50 overs at Wentworth Park.
FIFTH GRADE: Rokeby defeated Lindisfarne at Lindisfarne Oval No.2.
SIXTH GRADE: St Anne's 7/218 off 40 overs defeated MacKillop Beltas 10/159 off 39.1 overs at Cadbury Oval No.1.
SEVENTH GRADE: Wellington 3/196 off 38.4 overs defeated Derwent 8/192 off 40 overs at Cloak Oval, Old Beach.