North 242 d South 163
A CENTURY to Jake Schutz set North Sportsman’s up for a comfortable victory in the Barber Shield cricket semi final on the weekend at Marist Park.
The two-day match was conducted on Saturday and Sunday, with the Tigers too strong for South Gambier, claiming the victory and a grand final berth, with the chance to defend their 2016-17 crown.
The Demons’ bowlers were on target, dismissing the Tigers in 62 overs, but they could not prevent a solid 242-run total, thanks largely to Schutz’s 116, along with fellow-opener Matt McInerney’s 40.
McInerney and Schutz went to work after North won the toss and elected to bat, immediately applying scoreboard pressure.
McInerney found the boundary six times and cleared the fence once before his time was cut short, but not before he helped the tigers to a 63-run first-wicket stand.
South then had a sniff of hope when Matthew Robinson came and went without bothering the scorers, but when Gavin Coon joined Schutz in the middle, the pair settled down once more, adding a further 57 before Coon was out.
At 3/124 the reigning champions looked reasonably comfortable, but on 131 two wickets fell in quick succession – Michael Johnston for three and Brad Robinson for no score – to again give South some hope.
However, Nick McInerney then joined Schutz for the third half-century stand of the game, adding a further 56 runs between them before he was out for 25.
Eventually Schutz succumbed with the total at 139, with Tom Edwards the only other Tiger to reach double figures, not out for 10.
Dane Pople was best with the ball for South, claiming the final four wickets of the innings, including the prized scalp of Schutz, to finish with 4/29.
But by then the damage had been done and the Demons faced a tough run chase.
That was made even harder when the side slumped to 5/19 after some impressive bowling from Josh Fidler and Tim Young, who combined to destroy the South top order.
Fidler claimed the first two wickets – Cameron Jorgenson (0) and Nicholas Seager (6) – before Young went to work and knocked over the dangerous Matt Bowering for two, plus Josh Thompson and Brad Mitchell, both for nought.
From there it was an uphill battle for the Demons, but Dylan Clough and Liam Neshoda managed a well-crafted half-century stand to take the total to 69, before Michael Johnston had Clough caught behind for 38.
After Jacob Parham joined the chase, a further 15 runs were added before the next wicket fell, with Neshoda out for 28.
Parham went on to reach a timely 38, caught off a Matt McInerney delivery with the team total then at 129.
By that stage time was the Demons’ enemy, with Robert Drenthen and Pople pushing the run rate as the overs dwindled.
Pople was eventually found short of his crease, run out by Young for 17, while Drenthen went on to make 27.
But in the end the total of 163 was well short of the required target.
Young was best with the ball, with figures of 3/47 off 19 overs, while Fidler, Matt McInerney and Johnston claimed two each.
North will now face Penola in the much-anticipated grand final at Frew Park this weekend.
