CITY Colts have tasted grand final pain for the fourth straight season after losing yesterday’s Wangaratta and District Cricket Association grand final to Yarrawonga-Mulwala.
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The Lakers caused one of the upsets of the season when it mattered most, with a Marcus Hargreaves spell on day one proving the catalyst to the four-wicket win at Norm Minns Oval.
Hargreaves took 5-47, in a 24-over spell that included eight maidens, to help restrict Colts to 177 from 75 overs before Dwain Duxson and Pat Martin guided the side past the total with four overs remaining.
Yarrawonga-Mulwala captain-coach Lee Fraser said the victory, the club’s first piece of silverware since joining the competition four seasons ago, was a boost for cricket in Yarrawonga and Mulwala.
“We’ve had a couple of coaches who’ve really developed the young guys,” said Fraser, who contributed 24 in the run chase.
“We had a couple of tough years and we’ve had a really big spike this year.
“This should be a really good pump up for cricket in the towns.”
Minor premier City Colts got off to a flying start on Saturday, with openers Jeremy Carr and Nick Norris putting on a 40-run stand before Carr became Ash Saunders’ 15th scalp this season, caught by Zach Moore for 26.
Norris fell 14 runs later for 20, becoming Hargreaves’ first wicket of the day and star all-rounder Daniel Vihm added just eight to the score before he was caught by Saunders off Daniel Athanitis.
Struggling at 4-69, it was left to the Colts’ experienced players to steady the sinking ship.
Veteran Scott Clayton showed a cool head in a crisis but fell for 27, while former skipper Justin Solimo, who also looked set for a good score, was also gone for 27.
The tail wagged with Daryl Johnstone (10 not out) and Joe Doyle (run out for 16) putting on some valuable runs at the death.
Yarrawonga-Mulwala struggled early in its run chase but the brilliant work of Duxson (39 not out), Martin (26 not out), Daniel Athanitis (33) and Fraser helped the underdogs finish 6-179.
Fraser said he couldn’t fault the work of his side’s bowling attack, which skittled Greta for under 100 in last week’s semi-final.
“We thought it was probably a 200-run wicket,” Fraser said.
“Mark Athanitis opened the bowling and the pressure he built was really good and ‘H’ (Hargreaves), with his off-spin, was outstanding.
“The pitch was a belter. There was a bit in it early but ‘H’ bowled a good line and length.
“We didn’t need any miracles (in the run chase), we just needed to play solid cricket.
“Ducko was really good and Patty Martin put it beyond doubt at the end but all the boys were fantastic.
“It was a fantastic achievement and a really good team effort.”
