Rapid capitulation ends Bulls’ season

By MICHAEL ROSE

KINGOWER has qualified for its first Upper Loddon Cricket Grand Final in three years after scoring a 122-run victory at home over Bridgewater in Saturday’s semi-final.

Both sides had wickets in hand leading into the second half of their innings but whereas Kingower’s last half of their innings yielded 118 runs, Bridgewater lost their way and only managed a further 21 runs, 19 of which were scored in the first two overs after drinks.

Kingower called the toss correctly and elected to bat with Matt Rowe and Will Deason putting on a game high partnership of 66. Deason was the aggressor crunching ten fours in his knock of 44 before being bowled in Pat Murphy’s first over.

Murphy bowled a terrific spell for Bridgewater considering the fast Kingower outfield.

He tied up the one end conceding just sixteen runs of his eight overs.

Forced to attack the bowling at the other end, Rowe ( 40 ), Jayden Leach (37) and Kyle

Simpson (33), all made useful contributions to Kingower’s final total of five for 193. Harry McKinley was Bridgewater’s only multiple wicket taker with two while Tom McKinley and Darcy Wood joined Murphy with a wicket apiece.

Grand final tips

Although losing Murphy in the second over of the innings, Bridgewater was tracking along cautiously with the McKinley brothers at the crease. Tom lost his wicket with the score on 31, however Harry together with Tom Staniforth, then enjoyed the best partnership of the innings, taking the score along to 69 and were starting to push the scoring rate along.

There was little to indicate the carnage that was about to take place as upon the dismissal of McKinley for 39, Bridgewater lost their last eight wickets for just two runs to be bowled out for 71.

Blake Pickles was the destroyer for Kingower and after having figures of none for eleven off his first two overs, proceeded to take five wickets for the cost of a further run.

Liam McNeill and Kyle Simpson lent good support picking up a couple of wickets each, while keeper Braydon Welsh enjoyed a fruitful day behind the stumps by taking three catches and effecting a stumping which ended the game.

Bowling averages

O M R W B Av Str

Kyle Simpson (Kingower) 93.2 20 298 28 4/6 10.64 20.00

Jayden Leach (Kingower) 89.5 31 165 23 4/13 7.17 23.43

Tom McKinley (Bridgewater) 88 11 296 23 5/22 12.87 22.96

Blake Pickles (Kingower) 78 10 331 20 5/12 16.55 23.40

Fergus Bear (Boort Yando) 80 4 387 20 5/49 19.35 24.00

Batting averages

M NO HS Runs Av

Braydon Welsh (Kingower) 11 2 133* 434 54.25

Harry McKinley (Bridgewater) 13 3 110 423 42.30

Will Deason (Kingower) 13 1 67 315 26.25

Matthew Rowe (Kingower) 13 0 54 301 23.15

Luke Holt (Wedderburn) 13 2 53* 271 24.64