DISTRICT
PEARCEDALE will be looking for back-to-back flags in this weekend’s District Grand Final after beating Baden Powell on Saturday.
The Panthers won the Sub District Grand Final last season and have been superb in 2015/16 in their first season in District.
While the Panthers were celebrating, it was heads in hands for Red Hill.
In one of the upsets of the season, the 2015/16 dominant side of the competition, Red Hill, were bundled out of the premiership race by Flinders.
The Hillmen may have scored 303 against the Sharks in their home and away match earlier in the season, however, they limped to just 160 on Saturday when they batted first.
The Panthers and the Sharks will go head to head this weekend at Mornington’s Alexandra Park.
Red Hill skipper Simon Dart top scored for his side on Saturday with 29. The Hillmen were bowled out in the 68th over.
Matt Burns was superb for Flinders with 4/36 from 23.2 overs, while Max Royal was equally as impressive with 4/20 from 16 overs.
The Hillmen had their chances in the match on Sunday, however Tom Clements and Simon Parrott put on a solid partnership and got their side over the line.
Down the road at Pearcedale Reserve, the game was a little tighter, Pearcedale winning by just nine runs.
Baden Powell won the toss and batted first on Saturday with Rhys Elmi top scoring with 57, while Ryan Barnett was the only other play to get to double figures with 17. The Braves were bowled out in the 53rd over for 103.
Shane Maggs was the destroyer for the Panthers with 5/36 from 18 overs.
Pearcedale was in real strife at stumps after facing the final 27 overs of the day.
The Panthers resumed on Sunday at 4/38 and while they were far from convincing, were able to get to 112, which was enough to win the match and advance to the grand final.
Baden Powell had another crack and declared at 8/58 before having one last go at the Panthers. Pearcedale were more than happy to bat the overs out.
Grand Final
The 2015/16 Grand Finalists met in Round 7 at BA Cairns Reserve, the first match of 2016 and a one-dayer.
The Sharks batted first and made 8/144 in 40 overs with Andrew Power top scoring with 41 and Mitch Stansborough scoring 33.
Chris Dew took 3/29 for the Panthers.
In reply, Pearcedale was bowled out for 98 in the 35th over.
Will Kennedy top scored with 21, while Matt Burns claimed 3/16, Dwayne Field 2/30 and Blake Hogan-Keogh 2/26.
Shane Maggs is no doubt the trump card for the Panthers in the grand final.
First published in the Mornington News – 8 March 2016
