David Braithwaite
THE Sale-Maffra Cricket Association first grade grand final went down the final over, with Stratford passing Maffra with just two wickets to spare.
In reply to the Eagles’ 8-149, the Redbacks were on track for victory at 5-137 in the 35th over, but lost three wickets to make of an interesting conclusion to the season.
Coming together needing only two more runs to win, the final pairing of Lachlan Channing and Thomas Wrigglesworth held their nerve to secure the Redbacks a sixth SMCA first grade premiership, and first since 2014.
Conditions at Sale Oval on Saturday were ideal, with Maffra captain Josh Davis opting to bat first on what looked a good pitch for batting.
In the final analysis, the Eagles finished 20 runs short of really testing the Redbacks.
Brett Lanigan and Daniel Bedggood began the Maffra innings solidly, scoring 35 in the first eight overs until the latter, looking for lift the tempo, was bowled by Jack Tatterson for 20.
The Eagles were 2-56 after spin bowler Sam Anstee ended his first over by catching Lanigan for 25.
In his next over, Anstee took another caught and bowled, this time off an advancing Eagles captain Josh Davis, who was dismissed for 10.
Named player of the match by the umpires for his 3-20, Anstee helped slow the Maffra innings down.
Lee Hopkins and Zach Durrant batted together until the 25th over, when the Durrant was caught off Anstee’s bowling for 14. Maffra was 4-83 at this point.
Ben Sly looked to lift the scoring rate, but was dismissed for 10 by a diving catch from Lachlan Channing off Jack Tatterson’s bowling.
No runs had been added when Hamish Nettleton was bowled by Bohdi Walker in the next over.
Hopkins and Cooper Bailey got the Maffra innings going again, putting on 29 until Bailey was adjudged leg before wicket to Simon Williams for 10. The Eagles were 7-127 at the beginning of the 38th over.
After Ben Durrant was out LBW to Jack Tatterson (who finished with 3-23) for two, Mitch Bennett joined Hopkins to score an unbeaten 13 runs from eight balls.
The pair scored 12 runs in the final over, 11 from Bennett, to give the Eagles something to defend.
Hopkins provided the backbone of the Eagles’ innings, scoring an unbeaten 42 from 57 balls.
Stratford encountered trouble early in its innings when Nathan Magnuson trapped Andrew Tatterson LBW for four, with the Redbacks on six.
Chris Aurisch and Taylor Tatterson found it hard to score against Maffra opening bowlers Magnuson and Davis. The pressure resulted in Aurisch being run out for eight by a direct hit from Bailey.
In the next over, Taylor played a Magnuson delivery on to his stumps, dismissing the skipper for two and leaving his side 3-17 in the ninth over.
Jack Tatterson was then joined by Cormac Hassett, as the pair eventually wrested control of the match back Stratford’s way.
When the players took drinks after 20 overs, Stratford was 3-66. At the same stage of Maffra’s innings, the Eagles were 3-70.
Tatterson and Hassett added 54 runs until a David Griffiths delivery found the edge of Tatterson’s bat and ended up in the hands of Lanigan, who was keeping up to the stumps.
Tatterson’s dismissal for 23 left the Redbacks 4-71 in the 23rd over.
Hassett and Walker worked the ball around to build their way towards Maffra’s score until Hassett was caught off Bennett’s bowling four runs short of a well-deserved half-century.
Coming together at 5-114, Walker and Ben Channing continued to press toward victory until the 35th over. Channing drove the ball into the stumps at the bowler’s end, but attempting a run that was never there, Walker was run out for 30.
Four balls later, the Redbacks were 7-138 after Channing was caught off Magnuson’s bowling for 13.
Magnuson was the pick of the Maffra bowlers, taking 3-17.
Needing 12 more runs to win with five overs remaining, Lachlan Channing and Williams added vital runs.
Adding to the drama, Williams injured himself going for a second run, prompting a call for a runner.
When Williams was caught behind off Hamish Nettleton for seven in the penultimate over, the Redbacks were 8-148.
Wrigglesworth hit the final ball of the over for a single to level the scores. The first ball of the 40th over was flicked to fine leg for three, ending a dramatic grand final.
