THE A grade finals are set for the Seymour District Cricket Association season, and if results are anything to go by, expect a close finals series throughout.
Just one round remains, but Pyalong’s dramatic two-run loss to Avenel means it needs Seymour to defeat Alexandra in the final round to stay in the hunt.
Batting first, Pyalong performed well with the ball in what was a match reduced to 35 overs per team, with Mitchell Wittig taking 4/23 and Alexander Ryan 3/22 as Avenel scored 8/107.
Pyalong had significant trouble navigating Avenel’s top order, falling to 8/74 before a dramatic fightback through Joseph Ryan (23) and Tyler Caddie (11).
Needing nine runs off the final over, the contest came down to the final ball, but Pyalong was stranded on 8/105.
That result, coupled with Puckapunyal’s four-wicket loss to Yea, consigned Pucka to the bottom of the ladder.
Pucka batted first, but despite a couple of starts, no one could score more than 17, with Joel Baker top scoring in Pucka’s 9/101.
Despite Lachlan Deeble taking 3/9, and Christopher Crabbe 2/19, Pucka was no match for Yea, who scored 6/103 in response off just 17.5 overs.
Alexandra kept its finals hopes alive by upsetting minor premier Tallarook by three runs.
With Alexandra batting first, it looked as though it would be a straight-forward day when Tallarook rolled it for 99, with Kalon Winnell taking 4/12 and Tarkyn Dundon 3/18.
At 1/59, Tallarook was cruising, but Alexandra did a superb job to limit the batting order, despite Lachlan Watts’ 37 and Joshua Rudge’s 23.
The Demons lost 7/31 to fall just short, scoring 8/96.
Tallarook maintains top spot in B grade, scoring a five-wicket win over Alexandra.
Kieran Minter scored 44 to top-score for Tallarook in chasing 116, while Finn Melville did much of the handy work with the ball, taking 4/22.
Pyalong’s fate rests with Puckapunyal defeating Avenel in the final round to make the finals, after losing to the Swans by five wickets.
Paul Dugard scored 35 as Pyalong set 9/172 for the Swans to chase down, but despite Damien Zoch’s 2/20, the Swans did it easily, posting 5/173 to win with nine overs to spare.
Puckapunyal were comfortable winners over Yea by 76 runs.
Peter Brennan’s 33 helped Pucka set 121 for victory, and then proceeded to take 3/30 with the ball, alongside Benjamin Kingston’s 4/15, as Yea was bowled out for 45.