THE two dominant sides of this cricket season’s Barber Shield have eased to semi-final victories on the weekend and 2017/18 runner-up North Sportsman’s will be determined to extract revenge when it meets defending premier Penola in the grand final this weekend.
On Saturday and Sunday at Frew Park the Tigers claimed a comfortable 98-run win against South Gambier after a clinical North bowling performance covered its first-day struggles with the bat.
North won the toss and elected to bat with the hope to build scoreboard pressure with its in-form batsmen.
Openers Michael Johnston and Jake Schutz appeared comfortable at the crease after they survived new-ball pair Adam Kuhl and Cameron Jorgenson, but the introduction of Robert Drenthen into the attack saw the end of Johnston for 13.
Mitchell Lewis and Schutz began to build another steady partnership before the change of pace from off-spinner Daniel Loupos brought Lewis unstuck for 10.
When Dylan Clough struck Schutz on the pads to claim the big-wicket for just 18, the score was 3/44 and the Demons claimed the ascendancy.
Kieran Ashby and Tigers’ captain Matthew McInerney both walked back to the pavilion frustrated after they were caught out for starts which left their side wobbling at 5/77.
Their downfalls brought Justin McConnell and Nick McInerney together at the crease, who set about staging a fightback against an inspired Demons bowling line-up.
The duo took a proactive approach to their innings to push the score above triple-figures before McInerney fell to Drenthen for 14.
McConnell was running out of partners as Jorgenson claimed his first wicket of the day when he ended Declan Kenny’s short stay at the crease for three, which brought Matthew Robinson to the middle.
With only three wickets in hand and 119 runs on the scoreboard, McConnell pushed hard to add some respectability to the total and give his bowlers as many runs to defend as possible.
Although Robinson fell to Jorgenson for a duck, he held up his end while McConnell continued to find runs, which set the tone for the latter’s stand with new bat Tom Edwards.
The pair attacked the opposition with a number of aggressive shots to tick the scoreboard over.
Both scored 18 runs in the vital 36-run partnership which came to an end when Edwards failed to keep out a fast Kuhl delivery.
These runs saw the Tigers climb past the 150-run mark and McConnell acknowledged the crowd for his crucial half-century.
Tail-ender Tim Young did not last long as he fell to David Vine for a duck, which left a defiant McConnell to walk off with a pivotal 55 not-out next to his name.
His efforts saw the final total at 168, a score which kept both sides in the game.
The Demons’ run-chase started in the worst possible fashion after North quick Kenny knocked over Luke Zadow for a duck and left South on the back-foot at stumps on day one.
In contrast from the sunshine of Saturday, Sunday brought showers for day two of play.
Kenny used the bowler friendly conditions to his advantage, when he found the edge of Jorgenson’s bat for a duck before he clean-bowled Clough for the same score.
At 3/4, South was in dire straights and required a miracle to remain in the contest.
Kuhl and new batsman Dane Pople offered a glimmer of hope when the pair dug in and set out to prevent an embarrassing defeat.
The duo played to the conditions, as runs on the slow pitch and outfield proved a rarity.
Their defiant and match-high 52-run partnership came to a crashing end thanks to a hot spell from Young who bowled Kuhl for 26.
Young then dismissed Josh Thompson for a duck and found a way past Pople’s bat after he top-scored with 37.
South’s lower order crumbled as Johnston and Kenny claimed two wickets each to wipe out the Demons for just 70 runs and end their season on a dark note.
Kenny was the star of the day after he finished with the staggering figures of 5/6 from nine overs which included five maidens.
He was joined by Young (3/23) and Johnston (2/10), while the McInerney brothers bowled economically without reward.
North will hope to repeat a similar performance when it meets Penola for the second season in a row in the decider this weekend.
