By Lachlan Onions
RENDELSHAM 1/119 d NARACOORTE TOWNIES 8/118
Rendelsham defended its Millicent/Naracoorte cricket premiership in style with a comprehensive victory over the Townies in the grand final on Saturday.
The Townies won the toss on their own deck and looked to apply scoreboard pressure as the opted to bat first.
However, Shoukat Ali was bowled for a duck by Tyson Smith to make it 1/5.
Smith then claimed his second scalp in the eighth over when he dismissed Matt Smith for 10.
The pressure was on Anthony Munro and Bredon Smart who were tasked with turning the contest around.
However, Munro departed for seven after he was given LBW off Jake Wight’s bowling in the 11th over.
Smart – who had been a pivotal player for Naracoorte with bat and ball this season – struggled to find his feet out in the middle and was eventually dismissed by Dylan Clough for a 45-ball duck.
Harry Schroder and Brodie Foster were next in at 4/26 and put up a fight in the middle-order to bring the Townies back into the contest.
After a 57-run stand, Foster was stumped off Ayden Reid’s bowling and a collapse soon occurred in the lower order as Naracoorte went from 4-83 to 8-107.
Rowan Ham and Josh Bull added 11 runs to and the Townies ended their 40 overs with a score of 8/118.
Foster was the best of the batters with 31 runs for the innings, while Wight, Smith and Clough all took two wickets each.
In response, Zach Jones and Reid quickly put the Townies to the sword.
The pair combined for a 93-run opening stand to put the game almost beyond doubt by the time Reid was dismissed in the 26th over.
Clough was next in and added 11 runs to the score and remained not out alongside Jones as they went on to secure the premiership with 52 balls to spare.
Jones was unstoppable and scored 70 runs off 102 balls as he carried the bat to victory for Rendelsham.
For Naracoorte, Sam Hentschke was the only bowler to take a wicket and ended with figures of 1/11.
