The Emus thumped United by 120 runs in Saturday's grand final at Club Court, thanks to a batting masterclass from Tyrone Downie and some fine swing bowling from the club's medium-pacers.

"To be involved in the first ever back-to-back flags at Emu Creek is pretty special,'' an elated Emu Creek skipper Simon Marwood said.

"It's a great day for the club."

Emu Creek's day started disastrously when Alex Collins and Todd Brown were both dismissed for ducks to leave the Emus 2-5.

When Marwood fell for nine on the first ball of the 14th over, the Emus had slumped to 3-35 and a score of 150-plus looked increasingly unlikely.

Enter Downie.

The fourth delivery Downie faced he hit Kane Goldsworthy for six before he and opener Brad Rowe set about rebuilding the innings.

Against some quality bowling from the Tigers, Downie and Rowe dug in and added 30 runs in the next 11 overs to leave the Emus 3-64 off 24 overs.

At the stage Downie was 15 runs off 21 balls.

With 16 overs remaining in the innings, Downie went up a gear.

He raced from 15 to his half-century in the space of 22 balls and maintained that tempo as he raced into the 90s.

Just when it looked like Downie would celebrate a grand final century, he was clean bowled by James Smith for 97.

Downie hit six sixes and eight fours in his 66-ball stay - his final 82 runs coming off just 45 deliveries.

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He added 81 for the fourth wicket with Rowe (37 off 105 balls) and 54 for the fifth wicket with Luke Bennett.

From 2-5 and 3-35, the Emus finished 8-195 off their 40 overs.

"Tigga is a fantastic player and a big game player,'' Marwood said of Downie.

"It's probably one of the best innings I've ever seen...it's a shame he didn't get a hundred.

"He steadied the ship early and then went on with it."

Mitch Whittle was clearly United's most economical bowler - taking 1-14 from eight overs, while Kane Goldsworthy picked up 3-41 from eight overs.

Early in United's run chase it appeared the game could go down to the wire as Broderick Williams and Jayde Mullane looked comfortable and kept the scoreboard ticking over.

One delivery changed the script.

After being hit for four by Williams twice in his previous over, Bennett produced a brilliant in-swinger that demolished the opener's stumps.

Next ball another Bennett in-swinger crashed into Pat Hartney's left foot and he was given out lbw for a duck.

Bennett's hat-trick ball was driven for four through cover by Alex Code, but the two-wicket strike had put the Tigers on the back foot and the Emus smelt blood.

With the final ball of his next over, Bennett (3-18) claimed his third wicket when Mullane was given out caught behind down the leg-side.

Todd Brown claimed the key wicket of Code (18) before Cam Moore tore through the middle-order with a brilliant spell of 4-23 to put the game to bed.

Moore removed Calvert (8), Dooley Niemann (4), Mac Whittle (1) and United skipper Harry Whittle (15).

Fittingly, it was left to Downie to complete the victory.

He had Smith caught behind for two and three balls later clean bowled Mitch Whittle for a duck.

The Tigers were all out for 75 and the Emus' celebrations began.

"We felt pretty good when we got 190 and then we bowled out of our skin and fielded well,'' Marwood said.

"It's always hard to chase runs in a grand final.

"Luke Bennett got things rolling for us, Cam Moore bowled really well to get four wickets and Tigga picked up a couple to sew up the man of the match award."

Emu Creek finished fourth on the ladder at the end of the home and away season and defeated the top two teams - Mandurang and United - in the finals series.

"We weren't at full strength until the semi-finals,'' Marwood said.

"With the side we had we were confident we could get the job done. It's very satisfying."

Meanwhile,

Spring Gully scored a comfortable win over United in the division two grand final.

After being sent into bat, the Crows compiled 9-192 off their 40 overs.

Jake Donegan (49) and Shaun Makepeace (37) added 82 for the fifth wicket to ensure the Crows had a competitive total to defend.

Tyler James (3-26) and Tom Hobson (3-45) bowled well for the Tigers.

In reply, United struggled to put together a meaningful partnership.

Opener Jay McLeod (20 off 24 balls) was the only player to threaten the Crows' attack.

Donegan completed a player of the match performance by taking 4-28 as Spring Gully bowled United out for 98.

Bagshot claimed the division three section one premiership, while United took out the division three section two flag.

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