ROMSEY has earned a chance at grand final redemption, knocking off reigning premier Gisborne in a stunning semi-final upset to set up a meeting with Sunbury United in this weekend’s Gisborne and District Cricket Association, GDCA, McIntyre Cup decider.
The Redbacks might have exorcised some demons with the seven-wicket victory – Romsey had lost to Gisborne in last season’s grand final, as well as losing a rematch with the Dragons during the home-and-away season.
The weekend’s semi-final triumph was set up by a strong bowling and fielding performance, with the Dragons able to manage only 123 runs in 56.5 overs.
Louis Moor applied early pressure and picked up the key wicket of Gisborne’s Harry Luxmoore, who had looked threatening with 22 runs and the home side’s only boundary of the innings.
Adam Frost and Aaron Paterson also shouldered plenty of the bowling load early, with Frost economical and Paterson claiming the first wicket of the day, removing Matthew Barake for four runs.
Statistics for Romsey’s run chase were unavailable when the Review went to press yesterday afternoon, but the Redbacks chased down the 124-run target in the space of 41 overs, with seven wickets still in hand.
Romsey will now travel to Sunbury’s Langama Park to take on the Sunbury United Hornets in the two-day grand final on Saturday and Sunday.
The sides met in round 14 last month, with Romsey pulling out a five-run thriller, also across two days, led by Corey Day’s 40 runs with the bat.
Play will begin at 1pm on both Saturday and Sunday.
Johnstone Shield
Romsey fell just short of a Johnstone Shield premiership at the weekend, with its second side losing to Macedon by 76 runs in the grand final.
Macedon batted for 74.3 overs to post a hard-fought total of 167, but Romsey fell behind early in the run chase when opener Matthew Richardson was removed for a duck.
No Romsey batsman surpassed 20 runs, with Jake East’s 19 leading the team as it was all out for 91.
Daniel Paterson produced a strong bowling performance, taking five wickets for 53 runs in 25 overs in the loss.
