By David Marshall
It was a massive weekend of finals cricket, with our Women’s 1st XI fighting hard in the Grand Final, while the Men’s 1st and 2nd XI battled through tough Semi-Finals to book their place in next week’s Grand Finals. Here’s how it all unfolded.
Women’s 1st XI: A brave grand final effort falls just short.
A hot sunny day set the stage for a highly anticipated Grand Final against Kilsyth, a familiar and always competitive opponent.
Winning the toss, Wandin sent Kilsyth in to bat, and the decision paid off early when Olivia Edwards struck in the third over, removing a key batter with the score on five.
Charlotte Edwards (1/21) followed up soon after with another breakthrough at 14, and Wandin had an early grip on the game.
Kilsyth, however, dug in and built a commanding 80-run partnership, mixing strong hitting with disciplined defence.
Natalie Lowe (1/18) eventually found the breakthrough in the 20th over with the score on 97, but Kilsyth continued to push forward, adding another 40 runs before Tilly Pearce (1/20) struck in the death overs, removing their most dangerous batter.
Wandin managed to put the brakes on in the final overs, with Olivia Edwards returning to take two more wickets, finishing with an outstanding 3 for 9 off six overs.
A final total of 149 meant Wandin would need a strong batting performance to chase it down.
The innings got off to a shaky start with an early wicket at eight.
Charlotte Edwards looked solid, but was unfortunately run out for 10 with the score on 18.
Olivia Edwards and Bee Cuddon kept the runs ticking over, but just as Wandin started to gain momentum, Bee was dismissed for 12 with the score on 43, followed quickly by another wicket.
With overs running out, Tilly Pearce and Olivia tried to rebuild, but the mounting pressure forced risks to be taken.
Olivia was the pick of the batters, making 32 before falling at a crucial moment.
Kate Johnstone added some late fireworks with 10, but in the end, Wandin fell short, finishing on 7/96 at the close of play.
Despite the loss, it was a remarkable season for the women’s team, finishing on top of the ladder and proving themselves as a force in the competition.
The improvement across the whole squad has been immense, and there’s no doubt this team will be back stronger than ever.
Men’s 1st XI: The comeback kings are headed to the grand final.
A knockout Semi-Final against Warrandyte was always going to be a tough contest, and after losing the toss and being sent in to bowl first, Wandin needed another disciplined bowling performance.
The first breakthrough took time, with Warrandyte reaching 59 before losing their first wicket.
Rory Vallence (1/29) bowled a brilliant 10-over spell, keeping things tight and eventually striking at 88 to get Wandin on the board.
From there, the middle order wickets started to fall more frequently, with Jarrod Dobson (2/30) picking up two crucial scalps to leave Warrandyte at 4/116.
Dan Trembath (1/32) got another breakthrough at 143, and then it was over to Taylan Hall and Joel Galvin to finish off the innings.
The duo worked through the remaining batters, with Taylan finishing with 3/63 off 17 overs and Joel taking 3/38, bowling Warrandyte out for 205.
With still 19 overs left to bat on Day 1, Wandin’s openers went on the attack.
Bryce Edwards and Jamie Atkinson capitalised on some loose bowling, racing to 45 before Bryce fell for 20.
With 13 overs still to navigate, Dave Marshall joined Jamie, and the pair ensured no further wickets were lost, finishing the day on 84.
Returning for Day 2, the going was much tougher against a more disciplined bowling attack.
Jamie and Dave continued solidly, but Jamie fell for 43 with the score on 99, and Dave (23) followed soon after.
Before too long, Wandin suddenly found themselves at 4/110, and the game was well and truly back in the balance.
Tim Thorne steadied the innings with a composed 28, but the wickets continued to tumble, and at 6/147, Warrandyte had their tails up.
But one thing this Wandin side has proven time and time again is their ability to fight back.
As wickets fell around him, Dan Trembath remained the steady hand at the crease, keeping his composure while the chase crept closer.
Even with a couple more wickets falling, he and Joel Galvin (15no) saw the team home, securing the win at 8/206 and sending Wandin into the Grand Final.
This team is finding ways to win from any position, and that never-give-up attitude will be crucial next week.
Men’s 2nd XI: Statement Semi-Final win against the ladder leaders.
Taking on ladder-leaders Warrandyte, Wandin’s 2nd XI entered the semi-final as underdogs, having lost three out of four encounters this season.
But with a full-strength lineup, the team was confident they could turn the tables when it mattered most.
Winning the toss and electing to bat first, Wandin didn’t get off to an ideal start, losing a wicket at 10.
But from that moment, the match belonged to Gordo Gosland and Peter Vaughan, who put on a magnificent 135-run partnership.
Mixing patience with well-timed aggression, they frustrated the Warrandyte attack, setting up Wandin for a strong first innings.
Gordo was eventually dismissed for a superb 76 on the final ball of the day, leaving Peter unbeaten on 48.
With the job half done, it was over to the bowlers, and they didn’t disappoint.
Warrandyte struggled to score freely, finishing their first day’s batting at 2/76, still well behind Wandin’s total.
When play resumed on Day 2, the pressure only increased.
Hamish Lamont (1/24) and Jason Kneebone (2/30) removed key wickets early, while Leigh Thomas (2/30) picked up another to put Warrandyte firmly on the back foot.
Jackson Kneebone bowled an exceptional nine overs for just 23 runs, keeping the opposition contained.
But the standout performance came from Mitch Kogelman, who bowled a marathon 19-over spell to claim a sensational 5/43.
Warrandyte was bowled out for just 174, giving Wandin a small but comfortable target to chase.
With only 40 runs needed, Wandin’s batters made quick work of the chase, losing just one wicket before cruising to victory.
Peter Vaughan capped off his brilliant game, finishing unbeaten on 78 to guide the team into the Grand Final.
It was a dominant display at the perfect time, knocking over the top side in the competition, and this side will take plenty of confidence into next week’s decider.
Looking Ahead: Two Grand Finals on the horizon.
The Men’s 1st and 2nd XI are both through to their respective Grand Finals, and the club is on the brink of an incredible achievement.
The Women’s XI may have fallen just short, but their outstanding season has set a strong foundation for the future.
Now, all eyes turn to next weekend, where two teams will battle for premiership glory.
