TWO of the longest-serving players at Strathdale-Maristians, Sean McCann and Ben Smith played key roles in a successful chase to win the BDCA’s second XI grand final.
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Set a target of 182 by Eaglehawk, the Suns were 3-79 before Smith and McCann teamed up for a 43-run stand.
Smith’s innings of 70 included 11 fours at Advanced Landscapes Oval, aka Weeroona Oval.
A Hawks attack led by Ash Piercy and Sam Fitt kept the heat on.
McCann’s deft touch through the on or off-side was crucial in keeping the scoreboard ticking over.
He went on to score 55 not out as the Suns reached 6-183 in the 67th over.
Piercy was best of the Borough bowlers on 3-37 off 18 overs.
Fitt, Luke Jones and Nathan O’Neill all took a wicket apierce.
Eaglehawk’s bid for back-to-back premierships in the second XI began reasonably well through the batting of opening batsman and captain Cameron King.
It was 2-60 when King’s stint at the crease was ended when caught by Liam Marshall off the bowling of Michael Prowse. The Borough leader had hit three boundaries in his score of 31.
The contest then swung dramatically in favour of the Suns as the Hawks lost two wickets in the space of four runs off the bowling of Daniel Rushworth.
Jon Andrea, 34 runs, and Coby Hansen, 21, played key roles in lifting the Hawks score to 134.
The dangerous Andrea was caught by Jaryd Wishart off a Ben Irwin delivery, and Hansen was trapped leg before by Irwin.
There would be yet another Hawks fightback in which No.10 batsman Sam Thompson teamed with No.9 batsman Nathan O’Neill for a 45-run stand.
O’Neill had scored three when bowled to be Dylan Bailie’s fifth wicket.
A great innings by Thompson included six fours in a team-high 40 runs.