By Tyler Lewis
The West Gippsland Cricket Association has brought home some silverware.
In the under-16 Victorian Metropolitan Cricket Union recently, the WGCA side shared the Keith Mackay Shield with Ringwood.
The WGCA moved through to the final after defeating the Mornington Peninsula Cricket Association in the semi-final.
The final against Ringwood was held at Balwyn Park Reserve on Sunday 19 January, but after rain affected the game that was in the balance, both sides shared the title.
WGCA were chasing Ringwood’s 7/179 from 45 overs and were 6/132 with 10 overs to play before rain halted play.
Branden Thomson belted 65 in the final and Saransh Deb claimed 3/25, adding to the abundance of highlights the youngsters showed across the tournament.
Both Koby Grass and Nic Motton had superb tournaments with the willow, with Grass compiling 246 runs at 35 and Motton 243 at 48.
The pair saw them like beach balls against the Eastern Cricket Association at the top of the order, both smashing unbeaten centuries while putting on a colossal opening stand.
Grass also had an impressive tournament with the ball, bowling the most overs of any player in the fixtures, he claimed 12 wickets at 12.
But it was Saransh Deb who was the tournament’s most threatening with ball in hand.
The Devon Meadows youngster took 16 wickets at an incredible average of 6.81.
Deb took 2/3 in one match and won the game for his side against Fentree Gully Cricket Association.
With only 115 on the board, the bowlers needed to take wickets to win the match and Deb bowled tremendously, claiming 4/5 from five overs, bowling his side to victory as the WGCA defended the total.
Any side that achieves success is a formidable side in the field, and the WGAC was no different throughout the tournament.
Brodie Matthews led the way in the field, safely securing eight catches and one run-out.
After rain affected the final match of the tournament, the WGCA remained undefeated through the tournament and are worthy winners of the Keith Mackay Shield for the season 2019/20 tournament.
