By Lachlan Onions
WEST GAMBIER 10/203 d MIL LEL 10/33 and 10/91
IN the final round of the Barber Shield before finals, West Gambier claimed the only outright victory of the season after a dominant two weeks of play at Malseed Park.
The Roos resumed on Day 2 at 8/199, with a 166-run lead over Mil Lel already.
The visitors did exactly what they needed to early on Day 2 as they cleaned up the tail to bring the Roos’ first innings to an end.
Nick Walters was the best with the ball for Mil Lel as he ended with figures of 3/22 before his side went back out to the middle for their second innings with a 170-run deficit.
Bray Stephenson claimed the first wicket for West Gambier as Craig Lock was caught behind by Jake Blackwell for 10 runs in the ninth over.
After a 24-run second-wicket partnership between Walters and Jarrod Sanders, the latter departed for 13 as he was caught behind off Niall Easterbrook.
Archer Virtanen was next in and scored three runs off 15 deliveries before he was given out LBW and Sam Willis claimed his first wicket of the day.
Six overs later, Jack Miller was dismissed by Willis to make it 4/45.
Willis was then on a hat-trick as he sent Logan Gibbs back to the pavilion for a golden duck the following ball.
Karthik Srikande survived the hat-trick ball but Willis eventually dismissed him to make it 6/49.
Brodie Pfitzner was next in and was the fifth to fall victim to Willis as he was caught behind for 10.
Shortly after, Stephenson sent Brad Hann packing and the visitors were 8/64 and still trailed by over 100 runs.
Ty Dinnison put up a fight but was eventually dismissed and West Gambier went on to claim an outright win by an innings and 79 runs.
Walters was the best for Mil Lel on Day 2 as he carried the bat to end not out on 34 runs off 174 balls as he gave his all to try and prevent an outright defeat.
Willis was the pick of the bowlers and took 5/16 off 18 overs including 12 maidens.
The Roos strike bowler ended the game with astonishing match figures of 9/20 off 23 overs.
Stephenson also put in a handy performance with 2/30.
West Gambier’s win sealed top spot on the ladder and will return to Malseed park on Saturday for its finals clash with Penola, while Mil Lel’s difficult season came to an end and will look to regroup for next year.
