A BRILLIANT 99 by White Hills gun batsman Brayden Stepien set up a great victory for Northern Rivers in Monday's grand final of the Victoria Bushrangers under-18 cricket championships.
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The Rivers faced South East Bayside Breakers in the Australia Day final at A.H. Butler Oval in Frankston's Jubilee Park.
South East won the toss and chose to bat.
The Breakers raced to 0-38 off 10 overs.
Number three batsman Will Pucovski would go on to reach an unbeaten 63 in a score of 7-179 off 50 overs.
Co-coach of the Northern Rivers team, Sean McCann from Strathdale-Maristians Cricket Club said bowling between the 11th and 40th overs was oustanding.
"The attack worked really well as the Breakers were 120 at the 40th over," said McCann.
He teamed with Bendigo Cricket Club's Tony Ryan to coach the Rivers in this championship campaign.
Medium-pace bowler Layton McCann took 1-8 off 50 deliveries.
Captain Nathan Fitzpatrick took 2-31, and off-spin bowler Kyle Winter-Irving claimed 2-31 off 10 overs.
"In every match we worked on partnerships, with the ball and bat," McCann.
"We had 13 contributors. It was a massive reason why we made the final and then won."
In the chase, Stepien and Layton McCann teamed for a 121-run opening stand.
From 68 deliveries, Stepien hit six sixes and nine fours.
He was first to be dismissed and then Lau and Mueller were out in quick succession.
When McCann was caught on 44 the score was 4-140.
Winter-Irving struck five boundaries in his innings of 44 not out.
A six by Winter-Irving clinched victory in the 36th over as Northern Rivers finished on 5-185 to cap an unbeaten campaign.
