Grand final match for Alexandra Cricket Club

THE Alexandra B-Grade team travelled to Avenel to play in the Seymour District Cricket Association (SDCA) B-Grade Grand Final. The team hoped to steal an upset win. Instead, the Redbacks were soundly beaten by a good cricket team performing at their best.

The club captain, Michael Mawson, won the toss and elected to field first. This choice was made in the basis of the team often winning when chasing down a total and also that last Thursday’s wet weather had put some moisture in the pitch and this would give an advantage to the pace bowlers.

Will Ellis got an early breakthrough when he bowled the big-hitting Aaron “Wicksy” Kent for eight. Kent said that it was the best ball that he had faced all season. The other opener, Warren Dowley and then Travis Stefanos scored slowly and methodically against the bowling of Ellis and Ben Geldart.

Levi Ronalds also kept the run rate down but was unable to cash-in with a wicket.

The Avenel team appeared to have planned to play defensively against Ronald’s bowling. Jordan Ferrier came into the bowling attack and finally made the second breakthrough with Mawson catching out Dowley at mid-off.

Ben Broadway came on and had an immediate impact with Stefanos being caught by Lucas Crane for 26 and Gus Leunig being trapped leg before wicket.

Avenel’s captain, Harrison Wall and Jamison Black put on 42 runs for the fifth wicket. They were able to take advantage of fielding errors and dropped catches as the Redbacks’ concentration levels started to drop.

The reintroduction of Ellis and Ronalds into the attack caused wickets to fall in quick succession. Ellis was the pick of the bowlers with four scalps, his last wicket came when Oliver Valladares hit a high ball that threatened the stratosphere and Mawson juggled a catch when it eventually came down.

The umpire declared Avenel’s batting innings closed at 9/160 after 43 overs because of slow over rates. This was two overs short of the goal of 45 overs.

In a change to the batting order, Will Ellis was the only one to put…

Image: The 2024-25 Alexandra Cricket Club B-Grade team.