A Grade Willetton vs Subiaco Floreat – WACA March 2011
Willetton District Cricket club has come agonisingly close to securing both the A and Third grade premierships, both games ending in defeat by extremely narrow margins.
The A-Grade side played minor-premiers Subiaco Floreat and fell just 10 runs short of claiming an unbelievable victory. The Dragons showed immense courage to score 9-383 in pursuit of Subi's total of 6-393, typified by batsman Reece O'Connell who climbed out of a hospital bed to try and grab a premiership for his side, despite being severely ill with a bout of food poisoning. In the end it was a titanic Grand Final and a fitting way to end the grade season. Subi won the toss and batted on a hard WACA wicket. Brad Kent made an early breakthrough, dismissing Floreat captain Bolton for naught. However crucial chances would go begging in the next hour, with opener Malcolm and star bat David Bandy both given lifelines. However just before lunch Stephen Ball produced an excellent spell and was able to remove Bandy for 35. However new batsman Glew and Malcolm took control of the game in the middle session. By 4.30 they had put on 222 runs and looked to have taken the game out of Willetton's reach. Kent dismissed Glew and Simon Mackin grabbed a wicket moments before stumps but the damage was done, Subi 4-326 at stumps.
Subi boosted their score to 6-393 after 112 overs on day two leaving Willetton 394 to win off 85 overs. Nearly five runs an over was a massive ask, especially with star batsman Reece O'Connell in hospital and in no condition to bat. But despite the pressure and desperate situation which they found themselves, Willetton openers Kallen Bond and Cameron Bancroft flourished. In particular Bond was brutal on the Subiaco bowlers, crunching a number of boundaries before skewing a drive to gully just five short of a deserved hundred. Bond's fantastic innings had given the Dragons a chance in the final session and a half. New batsman Matt Johnston (26) was unlucky to be caught down the leg side after some negative short pitched bowling by the Subi bowlers. Captain Kris Elliot joined Bancroft and they took the score to 2-231 before Bancroft (61) was caught behind trying to lift the run rate - at this stage they required above six an over to win. A-grade rookie James Godfrey and Elliot were looking good until Elliot was bowled for 46. In came Brad Hogg who immediately took the game to a new level. He and Godfrey combined for a 69 run partnership in quick time, before the latter holed out for 41, a superb knock by the young man in just his second A-Grade innings. Unfortunately Hogg was dismissed only one run later, which left a mammoth task for the Willetton lower order - they still needed 60 off 45 balls. Sean Brennan and Brad Kent combined well before Brennan was trapped leg before wicket by Coulter-Nile. Kent was joined by the courageous O'Connell, but he was clearly hampered by his illness and eventually his runner Kallen Bond was run out. Kent (28) managed to connect with a few lusty blows which sailed for six, but eventually the task became too much, 18 needed from the last over. Willetton's brave effort not quite enough.
3rd Grade final vs Bayswater Morley Stevens Reserve March 2011
It was a completely different game at Stevens in the third grade final - Bayswater batting first against the Dragons - a decision they would have been regreting when Nic Geisler single handedly reduced their star-studded top order to 4-34. In the end Bayswater managed 117 with Geilser taking five wickets and Maguire 4. 117 would prove enough. Only Mitch Inglis (28) managed to stick around for any length of time in the Willetton innings, a number of soft dismissals costing the Dragons dearly. At stumps they were 9-105, 12 runs would be enough for victory. They only mustered three the next morning. A heartbreaking end for the minor-premiers.
No silverware, but Willetton go into the off-season with plenty of positives and a burning desire to write the wrongs of the last weekend of the 2010/11 season when the new season comes around.
By Drew Jones