Axe Creek breaks premiership drought

AXE Creek Cricket Club celebrated its first Emu Valley Cricket Association A grade premiership on Saturday.The Cowboys overcame an aggressive run chase by Sedgwick to win by 34 runs at Spring Gully Oval.“A lot of the older guys around the club, who played for years, had tears in their eyes after the game,” an elated Axe Creek captain Shane Robinson said.“There’s been a lot of hard work put into this club, so to finally win a premiership is great for everyone involved.”After making 8-272 on day one, the Cowboys started day two in perfect style with two wickets in the opening over.Strike bowler Tim Mannes had Steve Pope caught behind for two off the fourth ball of the day before Lee Williams fell for a second ball duck.A score of 2-2 soon became 4-23 as Shannon Farley removed opener Leigh Byrne and then Anthony Tranter for a first-ball duck.Sedgwick needed a partnership to consolidate its innings and veterans Scott McKenzie and Kevin Bowe turned the game on its head.In 22 overs the duo put on 123 runs to put Sedgwick well ahead of the required run rate.Sedgwick was in control at 4-146, but Axe Creek leg-spinner John Bryers found the outside edge of Bowe’s bat and Matt Beck took a smart catch at slip to regain the momentum for the Bulls.Bowe’s 53 came off just 56 balls and included six fours and one six.Josh Hutchinson threatened the Axe Creek attack with a quickfire 15, but when he threw his wicket away Sedgwick fell to 6-171.With 38 overs still to be bowled at the fall of Hutchinson’s wicket, Sedgwick had plenty of time to win the game.A steady partnership was required and Michael Frilay and McKenzie provided it.The duo looked to have out Sedgwick on track for victory as they took the score to 6-214.But five runs short of a well-deserved century, McKenzie was trapped in front by spinner Jamie Dalrymple.Despite just missing out on a century, McKenzie’s innings was one of his finest in a distinguished EVCA career.His 95 came off 125 balls and included 16 fours and one five. His first 50 runs came off 85 balls before he lifted the intensity with his final 43 runs coming off 40 balls.McKenzie’s 95 took his season tally to 710 runs.His wicket proved to be a match-winner as Sedgwick lost 3-4 to be 9-218.Tailenders Leigh Holmes and Columban Walsh breathed some life back in the game when they added 20 runs for the final wicket.But when Holmes was adjudged lbw Farley, Axe Creek celebrated a long-awaited premiership.Farley claimed 4-48, Mannes 3-80 and spinners Bryers and Dalrymple took three crucial wickets between them.Robinson, who made 118 on day one of the grand final, said he was proud of the way his players stuck to their task on Saturday.“We were staring down the barrell a bit when Scotty McKenzie and Kevin Bowe were batting really well,” he said.“The spinners came on and did a good job for us and John Bryers got the breakthrough we needed. “Shannon (Farley) and Tim (Mannes) came back on and kept the pressure on their batsmen with a lot of dot balls.“We kept it tight and the wickets came.”Robinson said last year’s grand final defeat to Marong had inspired this year’s group to go one better.“We had a good year last year, but the grand final loss really hurt,” he said.“We kept most of our side together and managed to strengthen our batting and bowling, which helped us a great deal.” In division two, Mandurang celebrated a 63-run victory against Spring Gully at Ewing Park.Set a target of 261 for victory, Spring Gully’s chase was led by the experienced Andrew Curran, 44, and Terry Page, 35.At 2-94, the Gully was right in the contest. Mandurang’s Michael Healy then struck to dismiss Page, Curran and the dangerous Ryan Pedrotti.The Mandurang line-up also had Brad Maltby bowl well as Spring Gully lost three wickets in the 130s to be 7-139.Luke Hutchins and Jarrod Quirk both added 23 apiece, but it was Mandurang that would dismiss the opposition for 197.Healy finished with 4-48 off 16 overs, and Maltby captured 3-41 in the premiership victory.Mandurang’s stars with the bat on day one were Frank Monro, 43; Phil Berry, 41; Cain Ladiges, 30; Healy, 26; and Max Scholes, 26.The Andrew Hancock-captained Mandurang marked a fine season in which it won 12 matches, lost one contest on first innings, and also bounced back from an outright defeat to be the division two champions.