FERNTREE Gully will today compete in its first Bendigo Country Week division one grand final when it takes on Murray Valley at Canterbury Park for the Neil Pollock Memorial Shield.
Ferntree Gully yesterday won its way into the grand final with a six-wicket victory over Castlemaine, which catapulted it from third on the ladder to second.
A century from opener Wayne McInerney ensured Ferntree Gully had few problems chasing down Castlemaine’s 177 at Canterbury Park.
Ferntree Gully answered with 4-178, with McInerney blasting an aggressive 102.
Such was the speed at which McInerney scored, Ferntree Gully was just 140 when he was caught by Glenn Carson off the bowling of Jarod Hodoras (2-21).
McInerney shared in an opening stand of 110 with Ryan Handley (22) that laid the platform for Ferntree Gully’s successful run-chase.
Yesterday was McInerney’s third score above 50 for the week, with him having made 55 against Shepparton on Wednesday and 71 against Portland on Monday.
Earlier, after being sent into bat, Castlemaine had just two players make more than 13.
Veteran Jamie Allan top-scored with an unbeaten 63 at No. 4, while Brenton Jones made 42 at No.3.
The chief destroyers with the ball for Ferntree Gully were opener Usman Arif (3-14) and Shane Richardson (4-24), who was the seventh bowler used.
● For the fourth straight year, Murray Valley will enter the final undefeated after crushing a woeful Campapse at Harry Trott Oval.
In what had been a battle of first versus second on the ladder, the game was anything but a contest as Murray Valley won by a mammoth 150 runs.
After winning the toss and batting, Campaspe was routed for just 88 in 32 overs.
As poor a score as 88 was, Campaspe did well to get that many after it had crashed to 8-22 following blistering spells from Murray Valley opening bowlers Luke Quinn (3-19) and captain Matthew Jaensch (5-8).
No.6 Kirk Teasdale (47) played a lone hand. He was the only Campaspe player to make double figures as he scored more than half the side’s runs.
Five Campaspe players made ducks in what was a forgettable to end to the week for last year’s runners-up.
In reply, Murray Valley compiled 238 – its fourth score above 200.
Tyrone Downie (53), Braden Carey (44), Marc Baker (32) and Ash Quinn (31) all made handy contributions for Murray Valley, which will today be aiming to become the first team since Rochester in 1965 to win four-consecutive division one titles.
After his century against Castlemaine the previous day, 16-year-old opener Dylon Grandell was dismissed by Adrian Pappin (2-25) for three. Corey Windridge (3-28) was Campaspe’s leading wicket-taker.
● Shepparton will be relegated to division two after finishing on the bottom of the ladder without a win.
Both Shepparton and Portland were gunning for their first wins of the week in their match at Huntly’s Strauch Reserve.
However, the game was abandoned without a ball being bowled because of a wet wicket caused by a storm at Huntly the previous night.
Country Week organisers refuted twitter claims that the game had to be abandoned because sprinklers came on overnight at the ground.
“There were no sprinklers, and any suggestions that they did come on are just a fabrication. The game was called off because of the rain last night,” Darren Lewis said.
● Meanwhile, highlights in the lower grades included three centuries being made in division four.
Northern District Colts’ Russell Bolt scored 134 in his side’s total of 225 against Upper Loddon at White Hills.
Upper Loddon opener Andrew Bayles also made a century in the game, compiling 109.
And the Campaspe Colts’ Quade Albert made 110 not out in a comfortable win over the Emu Valley Colts at Golden Square.
With the ball, Gisborne’s Heath Boffey produced an outstanding performance against Wimmera-Mallee at Weeroona Oval.
Boffey picked up 6-24 off nine overs as Gisborne ripped through Wimmera-Mallee for just 89 in the division two match.
Bendigo Blue’s Jayden Sheean took a five-wicket haul in the division three game against Red Cliffs at Kangaroo Flat.
Sheean finished with figures of 5-58 off 19 overs, while Swan Hill’s Tony Caccaviello claimed 5-39 off 10 overs against Kyabram Colts.
● Today’s grand finals:
Division one at Eaglehawk (Neil Pollock Memorial Shield): Murray Valley v Ferntree Gully.
Division two at Huntly (John Turner Memorial Shield): Gisborne v Benalla.
Division three at Strathdale (Bendigo Advertiser Shield): Deniliquin v Swan Hill.
Division four at North Bendigo (City of Greater Bendigo Shield): Northern District Colts v Campaspe Colts.
Games start at 10am.
Email a friend