So 1st week of Finals are done with in A&EHCA
A Grade 2nd semi Final - Nairne surprisingly took all but one of their allocated overs to over haul Woodsides moderate score of 7/157 to scrape home with 8/160
1st Semi Final - Batting was always gonna be a question mark with the Creeks in the 1st week of Finals missing their 2nd and 3rd leading run scorers in Warren and Wundersitz and when Tonkin was dismissed 2nd ball for only 1 after averaging 90 odd for the season the Creeks were in trouble.
After being reasonably well placed at 4/105 23 overs, they suffered a stunning collapse to be dismissed for 116 in 36 overs. A very ordinary effort considering the perfect batting conditions on the Turf at the Creek on a Hot Autumn day.
Lobey were off to a good start to be 0/19 before suffering their own stunning collapse, losing 6/11 to slump to 6/30 after 17 overs and the game looked all over with the exception that Weeks was still there and with support from Martin slowly but surely dug their toes in to consolidate and eventually combined for a match winning 88 partnership for the 7th wicket to see them home with 21 balls to spare.
Another disappointing exit from the Finals for the Creeks who unfortunately never seem to be able to get the best team together when it counts for a variety of reasons.
Woodside have beaten Lobethal today in the Prelim Final so next week will see a repeat of last years Grand Final between Nairne and Woodside.
Nairne $1.25
Woodside $4.00
A2 Grade see Top Placed Bremer Callington scrape through over Macclesfield in the Semi Final to host Nairne next week.
B Grade Finniss remain undefeated after defeating Ashbourne in a high scoring affair at the Dry quick scoring Finniss Oval and will host Strathalbyn after they got over Lobethal in the other Semi Final.
One would have to favor Finniss here and then expect quite a bit of pressure put on them to return to A2 Grade next season
C Grade saw Top placed team Echunga go down to 4th ranked Bremer Callington who will meet Woodside after they eliminated Hahndorf.
D Grade apart from Mt Barker has been a lottery all year and that continued into the Finals with 2 quite incredible scorelines.
Echunga hosting Finniss on the turf at Strathalbyn looked to have blown their chances by imploding to be all out for only 65 but then incredibly bowled Finniss out for only 57 !!!!!!!!!! to progress through to and host the Grand Final which no doubt will be at Echunga.
The other D Grade final was just as amazing for the complete opposite reason. On the postage stamp Nairne No. 2 Oval, Top ranked Nairne piled on 4/274 from their 35 overs with veteran Bobby Hallett smashing 16 sixes in his 144* n.o. and seemingly a certainty to go through to the Grand Final especially after bowling L Creek out for only 46 the last time they played them. They looked to be on track when they had Creeks 4/114 with not much batting to come but a whirlwind finish by the Creeks saw them amazingly reel in the target with 4 overs to spare
GF - Echunga v Creeks
Result - anyones guess?
Previous seasons results
L Creek Forfeited to Echunga
Creeks beat Echunga who only had 9 batsmen
Echunga comfortably beat Creeks