By Trevor Jackson
AN undefeated run through the minor rounds of the Dycer Big Bash Twenty-20 cricket competition was finished in style by West Gambier on Sunday at Frew Park as they claimed the grand final victory over Penola.
The Roos were never troubled throughout the minor rounds, taking all before them in a classy season display.
That carried over to the semi-final on Sunday where they bowled Mil Lel out for just 76 runs in the 19th over, before needing just 12.1 overs to book a grand final berth against Penola.
It was more impressive considering the side missed the services of Jake Blackwell and Connor Prior, two in-form top-order bats.
Penola was also down on personnel, as were other teams on Sunday, with the top players from the region caught up in a Covid-19 cluster from the Country Championships, with players either contracting the disease or forced into isolation as close contacts.
In the big game Penola won the toss and elected to bat but struggled to keep the run-rate flowing after the first wicket fell, possibly missing the experience of Mark Smith and Michael Waters.
Despite that, Penola started well, with 49 runs on the board before Jack Schulz was caught off a Kyal Chapman delivery for 16.
A couple of quick wickets followed, with Jack Mullan also falling victim to Chapman for an entertaining 33 off just 24 deliveries with the total at 55.
With just one more run added, the incoming Thomas Clayfield also found Chapman too difficult to dispatch and was sent on his way for a solitary run off six balls.
Drew Clayfield and Lachie Jones then steadied the ship, with the pair putting on 56 before the latter was run out for 17 attempting to advance the run rate, with the total at 113.
It was an unlucky number for Penola, with Drew Clayfield and Brad Maney both falling with no further runs added.
Clayfield went for 34, clean bowled by Sam Willis, while Maney went for a two-ball duck, lbw to Willis.
Penola could manage just 125 runs at the end of the allotted 20 overs, with Chapman the best with the ball with his three scalps.
Going on season form, it put West in the box seat to claim the title, although some doubt may have crept in when Niall Easterbrook was caught of Josh Doyle for just three runs.
However, from there captain Justin DeJong and Richard Crute put on a handy 39-run stand to put the chase back on track.
Crute was caught off the bowling of Mullan for 23 with the total at 47, while DeJong contributed 31 before he was run out.
Unfortunately for Penola neither Willis or Bray Stephenson were about to give up their wickets and remained at the crease until the target was reached in the 18th over.
Willis was in good touch, with 46 runs off 35 deliveries, while Stephenson held up his end with a handy 19 off 22.
For DeJong it was a welcome result, after a shaky start.
“In the end we got the job done, but the first few overs scared us a bit,” he said.
“We lost Niall early but our batting depth this year has been really good and we haven’t had to use half the players.
“We bat down to nine or 10 and we can chuck anyone in there.”
Likewise, not having Prior and Blackwell in the side was a concern for DeJong but he again pointed to the depth of the Roos this year.
“It was a bit of a worry but all the other teams had similar issues,” he said.
“It was a spanner in the works coming into it but with our depth we were right.
“We are pretty lucky to have a lot of players who can bat and bowl.”
DeJong said the likes of Chapman’s effort with the ball was impressive, as were a couple of other notable performances from Josh Cornolo and Crute.
Cornolo finished with figures of 0/13 off his four overs, while Crute managed 0/11 from his.
“I think that is what we have done well all year – bowl tight lines and not give away many loose balls,” DeJong said.
However, with the score at 3/70 it was all about Willis and Stephenson with the bat in the end.
DeJong said the plan going in was to keep the scoreboard ticking over and see how it panned out.
The contest never went down to the wire as the Roos simply controlled the latter half of the game to secure the championship.
“To finish it with a few overs to spare was really good,” DeJong said.
“Then the way Sam (Willis) finished it with a nice shot over cover, he was definitely up and about after that.”
