Healesville 6/114 defeated Yarra Junction 6/112
Travelling to Yarra Junction to challenge the minor premiers in the big dance, the Healesville boys were full of confidence and pride in what they had already achieved for the year, a win would be the cherry on top. Winning the toss and electing to bat, the innings started well with Louis Keath (15) hitting a four off the first ball. Combining with Gus Morcombe the opening partnership got Healesville to 20 in three overs, both falling in the next over, bringing Ryder Hudson (11*) and Manny Winrow (9*) to the crease continuing with positive intent. All the boys piled the pressure on the field running everything and thus forcing errors. Ahren Wicker (9*), James Howden (13*) and Cruz Augello (9*) scored well off the bat, but the last two overs from Declan Kruize and Jackson Lehman running on everything lifted an ok score of 103 to a defendable 6/114.
Yarra Junction’s bowling attack was led by Key Van De Maat (2/8) and Luke Dark (3/9), while Noah Joseph (0/5), Alexander Mason (0/9) and Jordan Thornton (0/9) also kept the run rate down.
Things started well for Healesville with Louis Keath (1/8) taking a wicket on the second ball of the innings and then some tight bowling from Finn Coleman (1/6), Tom Quaggin (1/10), Arthur Coleman (0/12), M Winrow (2/5), Declan Kruize (0/6) and Ryder Hudson (1/8) left Yarra Junction needing 9 runs to win off the last over. Ahren Wicker was thrown the ball and kept the scoring to only 4 off the first five balls, leaving Junction needing a four off the final ball to draw the game, good fielding kept it to a 2 giving Healesville a two run victory and the privilege of returning to Queens Park with the cup.
Jordan Thornton did everything in his power to try and will Yarra Junction over the line with an unbeaten 40 runs off of only 15 balls, while Charlie Guerin (13*), Kye Van De Maat (12*) and Wil Joseph (10*) were also solid contributors.
