The Rangas (171) defeated United (120) by 51 runs at Maiden Gully to complete the EVCA double, having last month won the Bash for Cash title.

On Saturday, United kept the pressure on Mandurang all innings as the Tigers were able to take wickets at regular intervals.

Mandurang failed to bat its 75 overs out as it was dismissed in the 63rd over for 171 – its first score under 200 in its past nine games.

United didn’t allow Mandurang to play its usual free-scoring game as the Tigers bowled a disciplined line outside the off-stump.

The star with the ball for the Tigers was veteran Keiran Nihill, who took five wickets.

Nihill finished with 5-39 off 23.5 overs. His first spell with the new ball yielded 2-24 off 16 overs.

He then came back to rip through the lower order with 3-15 off 7.5 overs in his second spell.

The most talked about incident of the grand final took place 10 minutes before tea in the Mandurang innings with a rare mankad dismissal.

The victim was Cain Ladiges (25), who was mankaded by United’s Cameron Davie (0-11) on the sixth ball of the 36th over.

Ladiges had previously been warned twice for backing up too far at the non-striker’s end before the controversial dismissal, which left Mandurang 4-97.

While the dismissal caused plenty of angst among Mandurang supporters, the mankad rule is part of the EVCA, with a memo to clubs during the season stating: “The mankad rule is back in place. The bowler must enter his delivery stride to execute it, but in the spirit of cricket a warning by the bowler should be given.”

After tea captain Leigh Haw and Kris Raukola worked hard to rebuild the Mandurang innings.

However, Mandurang suffered a blow when Raukola injured his hamstring, but because of new rules introduced this season, was unable to call for a runner.

Despite the injury, Raukola (13) batted on until his innings ended in the 54th over when caught by Michael Frilay off Tigers’ captain Alexander Collins with the score on 146. Raukola’s dismissal started a collapse for Mandurang, which lost its last six wickets for just 25 runs.

Haw top-scored for Mandurang with 55 in a knock which included six fours and three sixes before he was caught at point by Nihill off Collins (3-58 off 20 overs).

Earlier, opener Matt Giri made 34, although, he was lucky to survive the first over after he was dropped by Collins at first slip off Nihill without scoring. That was the first of a costly six catches the Tigers put down.

The Tigers had five overs to bat before stumps, with openers Collins and Tim Elliott surviving and scoring 18 runs.

The Tigers took the ascendancy into yesterday’s second day, but the Rangas – who were forced to defend their score without injured strike bowler Raukola – made a superb start with three early wickets.

Inside the first 11 overs of play, Mandurang dismissed Elliott (19), Collins (14) and Forbes Klemm (2) to leave the Tigers 3-39.

Elliott was superbly caught one-handed by Ladiges at slip, while Collins was well-caught by a diving keeper Stuart Robinson.

However, Jayde Mullane and Steve Harris steadied the innings for the Tigers, and the pair put United back on track with their fourth-wicket partnership.

The pair moved the score to 83 in the 36th over, before the game swung in Mandurang’s favour.

In the last 20 minutes before tea, the Rangas picked up the key wickets of top-scorer Harris (37), Nihill (0) and Mullane (13) to leave the Tigers reeling at 6-93 off 45 overs at the break.

And when they removed Josh White (9) and Tim Gleeson (3) soon after tea, the Rangas had that elusive flag in their sight.

The end for United came on the fourth ball of the 65th over with the score on 120 when Mick Webb (5) was run out by an under-arm direct hit from Phil Berry at square-leg.

Haw followed up his 55 with the bat with the sensational bowling figures of 3-34 off 29 overs, including 15 maidens. The skipper conceded just five runs off his last 15 overs.

Michael Healy (3-23) and Ladiges (3-27) also bowled well.

“We’ve only been back in division one for three years, so it’s a fantastic result for the club,” Haw said.

“I couldn’t be more prouder of the boys today, especially after we lost the ascendancy in that last hour on Saturday night. But today we had a chance to get back on top and regroup and we did that.”

Collins said the Tigers were left to rue the lack of a batsman going on and making a big score.

“Dropping six catches didn’t help, but if you don’t have someone make a 60 or 70, you can’t expect to win too many finals,” Collins said.