Prince Alfred Old Collegians 136 (S Tyler 47 J Dent 31*)

defeated

Para Hills 102 (J Dent 4/27 TP Boucaut 4/27)

Full Scorecard

After a great win against Payneham in the Semi Final, the boys were full of confidence heading into the 14/15 ATCA A1 Grand Final against Para Hills at Park 9.

We lost the toss and were surprisingly sent in by a Para Hills team who fancied themselves chasing after successfully doing so against the highly fancied Pooraka side in the other Semi Final.

At the end of Day 1, the decision to bowl looked to be the correct call. We started poorly, losing Bomber without scoring and Weed for just 2 runs. Hurb (12), Nico (12), Seb (6), M Richo (13) and Brown (5) all fell before tea leaving us miles behind the 8 ball at the break. Semi final hero Sam Tyler was still not out at the crease as was in form Jack Dent and we knew that if we could just put one partnership together we would give ourselves something to bowl at.

Styles batted beautifully again and while his 47 didn’t stack up numbers wise to his innings last week, it was no less important. Jack also played a crucial role at the other end making 31. We ended up being bowled out for a miserly 136 but as we know, runs on the board in a final and you are always a chance.

We had 20 overs to bowl at the end of Day 1 and after a great start where we had Para Hills 2 for 3, they recovered well to be 2 for 33 overnight.

Returning on Day 2, we needed 8 wickets with 102 runs to play with. The game was in the balance and our best was going to be needed to get over the line. Praise has been dished out at our bowling attack many times this year but the experienced trio of Dent, Boucaut and Richo had one more show to put on.

Boucaut and Dent bowled great areas and just wore the Para Hills batting line up into the ground. With a run rate not much over 1 per over for most of the day, we won the patience game and despite Para Hills making it to 5 for 90, the quick wickets of Hartog and Hiscock swung the game back in our favour. Boo cleaned up the tail and the rest as they say is history.

Para Hills bowled out for 102 off 62.4 overs. Fittingly, Dent and Boo each finished with the identical figures of 4 for 27 (from 22 and 20.4 overs respectively) with S Richo and Simon Brown picking up 1 wicket each.

A Grand Final to remember (but they probably all are). A great way to cap off an undefeated season.

From all the A grade, a special thanks to all those that helped set up the ground and BBQ for both days. The committee and our supporters did an excellent job.