IT HAD been more than three decades since Hawkesdale last emerged victorious in the Grassmere Cricket Association’s top-grade.
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But now the Cats can finally enjoy the sweet taste of premiership glory after defeating Killarney by 34 runs in the division one two-dayer grand final on Saturday.
“It's obviously a big honour, it hasn’t really sunk in yet, but it feels really good to have achieved it,” Hawkesdale captain Lachlan Glare told The Standard after the emphatic victory.
The situation facing both sides at the beginning of the day’s play was the Crabs needed 204 runs to secure back-to-back division one flags and Hawkesdale needed 10 wickets to claim a drought-breaking victory, after posting 203 before last weekend’s St Patrick’s Day bushfires postponed the grand final. By the end of play Hawkesdale emerged victorious thanks to an even bowling performance and tidy fielding.
James North collected the man-of-the-match honour after claiming 4-68 from 21 overs. Glare (3-59), young gun Fletcher Cozens (3-15) and Brad Smith (1-7) lent North a hand in restricting the Crabs to 169.
James Cole top-scored with an unbeaten 35, while brother Liam contributed 32 and Daniel Jones 21 in Killarney’s run chase.
Hawkesdale had victory within its reach with the Crabs stumbling at 9-122, but a 47-run final wicket partnership gave Killarney some hope of pulling off a miracle win with the game fittingly ending with the ball safely falling into his hands of Glare.
The Cats leader commended his bowlers for sticking to their plans as they fought to snare the final wicket.
“We just had to try and keep it tight,” he said. “We had to keep doing what we have done all year and we got it done in the end.”
In the division two decider, a man-of-the-match performance from young rising star Zekke Reeves helped secured victory for Panmure and deliver more heartbreak for Killarney.
Reeves finished with 4-13, receiving a helping hand from Martin Rea (3-9) and Brad Gedye (2-14) to secure the Bulldogs’ 75-run triumph.
Panmure skipper Mark Roberts praised the efforts of his young brigade.
“All year the kids we have in Zekke, Brad, Rea have been great and without them we wouldn't have got here today,” he said.
Panmure got off to a flyer before crumbling to finish on 122, which put some doubt in Roberts’ mind as the Bulldogs walked out to field.
“We made 120 and it didn't look like it was going to be enough early on,” he said. “We were 2 for 80 at drinks and then the last 18 wickets for the day went for about 80 runs and we ended up getting the job done.”