FALLEN powerhouse Nestles was 5-12 before succumbing to an up-and-about Woodford yesterday in the final of the Warrnambool and district Twenty20 competition.
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The Eels will represent the WDCA at the inter-association Sungold Cup after claiming a 59-run win at Jetty Flat last night.
John Houston’s men had 8-130 on the board before tearing through a talent-laden Nestles top order en route to victory.
The rout started when Houston had Geoff Williams caught for a duck off the first ball of the innings — an unlikely set of circumstances beyond the Twenty20 realm.
Cam Williams followed soon after for four before Country Week representative Brett Eldridge also departed for a duck, bowled by lower-grade seamer Anthony Jackson.
Nestles was 1-0, 2-5, 3-5, 4-7 and 5-12 before bumbling along to 71 all out. Only Corey Gallichan showed any resistance with the bat in making 24 down the order.
The Factory’s effort with the bat paled in comparison with Woodford, which had 59 on the board before losing a wicket.
Opener Nick Butters top scored with 34, sidekick Luke Wines made 23 and Jamie Harry chipped in with 21.
Houston said he would’ve liked a score closer to 150 but was “pretty confident as long as we bowled well”.
“I think it was about sticking to our plans and sticking to the basics,” he said. “We’ve beaten a pretty good side.”
He highlighted the importance of removing Nestles’ top three — the Williams brothers and Eldridge — and described the Eels’ opening partnership as “very crucial”.
“We talked about it at length. It was important for our top three batters to make runs. We didn’t want to get going too early,” he said.
Woodford is now the favourite to take home the $15,000 winner’s cheque at the Sungold Cup, staged over the Australia Day long weekend in Warrnambool.
Three out of the four winners of the tournament have been WDCA clubs.
Houston said the cash would be welcome but was adamant “the job is not done yet”.
“We’re like a lot of clubs, we’re not overly blessed with money and it’s always hard fund-raising,” he said.
Nestles co-captain Scott Kelly conceded his men were “beaten by a much better team”.
“It’s hard to put a finger on it but a couple of silly shots, some good fielding, catching and bowling,” he said.
“And all of a sudden we’re four for not enough.”
