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MORE CRICKET - NUCA GRAND FINAL - Elmore wins first flag for 22 years
NEITHER of the Upper Loddon Cricket Association's top two teams, Arnold and Newbridge, will feature in next weekend's grand final after both lost home semi-finals on Saturday.
Instead, it will be Kingower (3rd) and Bridgewater (4th) to battle for the premiership at Newbridge.
Bridgewater, in particular, pulled off a massive upset, bundling out top side and reigning premier Arnold by six wickets.
The Redbacks were beaten despite yet another century to opener Matt Giri - his fifth in his past seven innings.
Giri plundered 102 out of the Redbacks' tally of 169 after they won the toss and batted.
However, apart from Giri and Ryan Metelmann (27) it was a sorry looking scorecard for Arnold, with no other player making more than five.
Having one stage been 2-95 Arnold then lost 8-74, including its last four wickets for just five runs.
Ben Hann (2-19), captain Jayden Burke (2-31), Harry McKinley (2-42) and Peter Rothacker (2-17) took two wickets each for the Bulls.
In reply an unbeaten 69 from Alex Collins, as well as contributions from Brad Wickham (33), Luke Harrison (30) and Oscar McKinley (21 n.o.), helped Bridgewater to 4-174 in reply, with the Bulls winning with five overs to spare.
Meanwhile, Kingower is through to its fourth-consecutive grand final after dominating Newbridge in a 10-wicket win.
Kingower routed Newbridge for just 78 and then took only 20 overs to answer with 0-79 as captain Braydon Welsh (49 n.o.) and Matthew Rowe (25 n.o.) took care of the run chase.
Newbridge's disappointing innings after it won the toss and batted featured a collapse of 8-25 as it slumped from 2-53 to all out 78.
Grand final opponents Kingower and Bridgewater have met three times this season, with Kingower comfortably winning all three by 59 runs, 85 runs and 76 runs.
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