Panthers v Gully final

By Steve Brown
EILDON Park will host the 2008/09 Knox Tavern Cup final against Ferntree Gully after both teams were successful at the weekend.
Johnson Park openers Mal Francis (23) and Bryn Gaunt (37) got the Sharks off to a great start in their semi-final clash against Ferntree Gully on a lush Ferntree Gully outfield, steadily taking the score to 61 before Dave Anstey ripped one through the defence of Francis to take his middle and off stump.
At that stage the Sharks were seeking a 250 plus target but the Gully Blues had other ideas.
Enter 43-year-old veteran Graham Salan, a man who now spends more time on the physio table than on the playing field.
A sensational medium fast bowler in his heyday, Salan now bowls gentle medium seamers with terrific variation, always trying to out-think the batsman.
Johnson Park never regained their composure and when they lost trump card Dulip Samaraweera, caught at slip for 13 off Salan, panic appeared to set in.
Understandably it had been a difficult few days for Samarweera whose brother, a member of the Sri Lankan team, was shot in the thigh by terrorists in Pakistan in a week he will never forget.
Salan then began to dictate terms, and bowled a superb spell of 27 consecutive overs for a return of 5/49 with 11 maidens and the Sharks were all out for a disappointing 134.
The Gully were required to face seven overs before stumps and lost openers Bradbury and Handley to be 2/8 and the game evenly poised.
At stumps a weary Salan said wanted to play a season with my son one day.
“He is in under 12s so I will give it away after this year and wait for him to get a little older, otherwise if I keep playing, I’ll never make it,” he said.
Day two saw one of the best games of the year, with fast bowler Mark Winton attacking the stumps in partnership with Craig Wenham to have the Blues slump to 5/49 and it was game on.
Mark Teofilo played his natural game picking the gaps with some aggressive batting and together with Luke Bowyer pushed the score towards 100 when Bowyer departed.
Teofilo was adjudged LBW for a match-winning 44 followed by Black for only 1 and suddenly at tea the Gully required 16 runs to progress to the final with two wickets in hand.
After the break captain Shane Richardson with Salan hit the winning runs to continue next week.
At the conclusion of the game, both sides formed a guard of honour for Sharks opener Mal Francis who announced his retirement.
Eildon Park’s Shane Cosstick showed why he is the best player in the competition with a magnificent century at home against Lysterfield.
The Panthers batted the day compiling 7/297 with left arm spinner and former Victorian U/17 squad member Sean Alston back amongst the wickets with 5/87.
Eildon Park scored a similar total against the Beavers three weeks ago which proved too greater task.
The Beavers started badly losing Chris Hill early to be 2/20 and then collapsed to be all out for 93.
The Panthers are heading to their first Knox Tavern Cup grand final under the leadership of Josh Dowling.
South Belgrave proved that seven days is a long time in sport when they returned to Knox Gardens, the venue where they routed the Falcons last week.
The Knox Gardens attack led by Travis “Ägent” Mulder (3/12) demoralised South who were dismissed in two hours for just 59 runs.
Wicket keeper Josh Gregory backed his bowlers with four catches behind the stumps before the Falcons bats gathered in the target and the game was over at 4.15pm on the first day. Knox Gardens will now attempt to claim their third Division 2 pennant.
In the other semi-final, footballers were chasing leather all day at Carrington Park against a determined Knoxfield side with star all-rounder Ben Morris (122) helping the Knights to an impressive 5/315.
Morris, who several years ago was targeted by several Premier clubs was ably supported by captain Trent Scholfield and Luke Scanlan who both scored fifties.
The ’Ballers were never in the hunt collapsing to 8/100 before being dismissed for only 119.
Medium fast bowler Scott McKenzie figured in the action again with four wickets, and the Knights will play Knox Gardens at Argyle Reserve in the final.