Scotts Head played the Nambucca Hotel in the Nambucca Valley Cricket Association (NVCA) grand final last Saturday at Phillip Hughes Oval, Macksville.
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Scotts Head has been runners up for 3 out of the last 4 grand finals and their day had finally come to take out the big win. They were the benchmark all season with only one loss which was in the Major Semi Final to Nambucca Hotel.
At the start of the match Nambucca Hotel won the toss and elected to bat first, hotel got off to a steady start with Captain Michael Stennett 26, and Jessie Allan 12, putting on 33 for the first wicket. Allan was eventually caught by Jake White from the bowling of Ryan Gleeson, while Stennett fell a couple of overs later, caught by BJ Martin off Gleeson. Hotel went to drinks at 2/41, after a bit of rain earlier in the week the pitch was proving tricky to score runs on.
Matt Brandolini was next to go; he was 'run out' by Logan Donovan for 9, 3/62. Matt Ward came and went without scoring, bowled by White, 4/66. Joseph Newman joined Curtis Ellis at the crease; they put on 28 then Newman was caught by wicketkeeper Lee Pedrola off White for 23, 5/94 after 32 overs.
Pedrola then stumped Ellis off the leg-spin of BJ Martin for 23, 6/101. White bowled Tim Bekis for 5, 7/105 leaving Michael Townsend 15 'not out' and Jason Ahearn 15 'not out' to see out the last 4 overs to for a total of 7/135 off 40 overs.
Scotts Head bowlers were Thomas Barbour 8 overs 0/26, Logan Donovan 5 overs, 0/9, Norman Deveraux 8 overs 0/22, Ryan Gleeson 8 overs 2/22, Jake White 7 overs 3/28 and BJ Martin 4 overs 1/24.
As the day wore on the sun dried out the pitch and play improved as a result.
Scotts Head needed 136 to win in 40 overs, just 3.40 runs per over, but victory was far from certain, anything can happen in a grand final, and nerves were already at an all-time high.
Scotts lost an early wicket in the first over when Ethan Davison caught wicketkeeper Michael Stennett off Curtis Ellis for 4, 1/4. Lee Pedrola joined Lochie Bennett at the wicket, the two of them were very watchful, pouncing on anything short or wide carrying Scotts Head to drinks with 1/53.
Victory was in sight, Scotts Head only needed roughly 4 runs an over.
In just the second over after drinks Bennett trapped LBW to Michael Townsend for a solid 28, 2/61. Ryan Gleeson came out all guns blazing, and he and Pedrola put on a 52 run stand which ended when Pedrola was LBW to Matt Ward for 35.
Andrew Welsh was then caught by Matt Harper off Ward for 4, 4/121. Norman Devereaux was bowled by Jessie Allan without scoring, bring the score to 5/125 in the 33rd over. Gleeson continued on his power hitting display, finishing 'not out' for 47 and with Jake White 8 'not out', Scotts Head had reached the target in the 35th over with 5 wickets in hand to claim a long-awaited Premiership for the Spanish Mackerels.
Bowlers for Nambucca Hotel were Curtis Ellis 6 overs 1/32, Michael Townsend 8 overs 1/20, Kurt Stennett 3 overs 0/13, Jessie Allan 7 overs 1/20, Jason Ahearn 5 overs 0/21, Joseph Newman 2 overs 0/18, Matt Ward 4 overs 2/12.
Scotts Head won by 5 wickets and are the 2018/19 NVCA Minor Premiers and Premiers.
Congratulations to captain Tom Barber and the team, thanks to umpires Chris Kearney and Barry Welch for efforts all season and any other umpires who helped out.
A big thanks to the committee led by President Daniel Ledger for running the competition.
The Presentation followed the match and individual and team trophies were presented.
The winners were:
- Player of the Year: Joe Costa (Pub With No Beer)
- Most Runs and Batting Average: Joe Costa (Pub With No Beer)
- Most Wickets was a tie: Joe Costa (Pub With No Beer) and Logan
- Donovan (Scotts Head)
- Bowling Average: Joe Costa (Pub With No Beer)
- Most Catches: Nigel Wilbow (Pub With No Beer)
- Most Wicket Keeping Dismissals was a tie: Chris Budden (Macksville Country
- Club) and Michael Stennett (Nambucca Hotel)
- Young Cricketer of The Year- Logan Donovan (Scotts Head)
- Minor Premiers- Scotts Head
- Premiers- Scotts Head.