By Trevor Jackson
FINALS berths are set in the Hoggies Wines Barber Shield cricket season, with Penola to face Mil Lel and West Gambier up against East Gambier in the semi-finals this weekend.
North Sportsman’s and South Gambier miss out on the post season after a tough year of cricket.
The final round produced some interesting results, with West defeated by a strong East outfit.
Penola accounted for Mil Lel to provide some extra confidence heading into this weekend, while South easily accounted for North on the back of a 260-run first innings on day one of play.
EAST GAMBIER d WEST GAMBIER
AT Malseed Park, West was always going to be on the back foot after failing to post a decent total on day one and East comfortably claimed first-innings points – although not without an early scare.
West reached just 118 runs in 52 overs last weekend and needed something special to defend the meagre total.
East posted 31 runs on the opening day, but day two was off to a shaky start.
It was only a big half-century to Dion Stratford, along with a handy 48 from Alex Hentschke which assured the victory.
The pair came together with the East score at 6/54, with plenty to do just to reach the century mark.
Stratford and Hentschke went to work and built a defining 95-run partnership to steer the ship home.
Stratford’s return to form was devastating for West, as he smashed his way to 92 runs from 127 deliveries, which included 12 boundaries and two sixes.
Likewise, Hentschke was in ominous touch, with his 48 coming off just 52 balls, including seven boundaries and one maximum.
Other than those two, no other East batsman reached double figures on day two of play.
Kyal Chapman and Bray Stephenson both claimed three scalps.
West returned to the crease and produced a more-competitive style of play, with Justin DeJong (42) and Jack Geddes (33) leading the way.
SOUTH GAMBIER d NORTH SPORTSMAN’S
CHASING a total of 261 for victory, North needed to pull out its best against the struggling South outfit, but was never in the hunt, despite the home-ground advantage t Marist Park.
The day could have started much worse for the Tigers, with Michael Johnston out for two, lbw to Robert Drenthen, with just two runs on the board.
Next came Elliott Fisher, clean bowled by Jakob Opie for just nine and North was already on the back foot.
Trent Badman joined Kayne Badman in the middle and the pair looked somewhat settled, taking their time to build a partnership but just 13 runs later it was all over, with Trent another lbw victim of Drenthen with 11 runs to his name.
Just 11 runs later Kayne Badman departed, caught off Drenthen for 15 and when Mitch Lewis fell victim to Camron Jorgenson for no score, the tigers were in real trouble at 5/45.
from there Nick McInerney and Declan Kenny settled, with the pair adding a timely half-century stand.
They put on 60 runs before Kenny was clean bowled by Stephen Easterbrook for 23, while McInerney held on, with 74 to his name off 105 deliveries.
He was caught off Daniel Loupos and North’s chances were done.
Drenthen did much of the damage with his three scalps, while Jorgenson claimed two.
PENOLA d MIL LEL
UP at McCorquindale Park Penola used its home ground to easily defend its first-innings 181-run total against Mil Lel, bowling the visitors out for just 114.
Mil Lel did get a start on the opening day, with just six runs on the board and no wickets lost.
In effect it was a new start and after a positive few overs, the rot began to set in.
Only three batsmen reached double figures, with opener Craig Lock out for 17, William Rowland for 10 and Brodie Glynn down the order with a quick-fire 22 off 17 balls.
A host of single-figure scores and ducks made up the remainder of the score sheet, as the Pneola bowlers shared the spoils.
Lachie Jones was the best with figures of 3/21 off seven overs, while George Kidman, Conrad Slabber and Josh Doyle claimed two wickets each.
Penola will host Mil Lel again up at McCoquindale Park in the semi-final on Saturday and Sunday, while West is at home to East at Malseed Park.
Games kick off at 1pm each day.
