By David Nagel
Tooradin (8/294) is on the brink of a second CCCA Premier Division flag in three years after the Seagulls demolished Cardinia (138) in a lop-sided semi-final at Tooradin.
The Gulls built their sixth-consecutive win on the back of another tremendous batting display; with key partnerships of 94, 62 and 49 proving crucial to the final outcome.
Seagulls’ skipper Mick Sweeney elected to bat first, with Cal O’Hare (64) and Josh Lownds (37) in no hurry in the early stages of the match.
The home-side was 0/25 off 10, which included a flurry of 15 in the eighth over.
Cardinia openers Josh Browne (0/21) and Travis Wheller (2/83) had built the pressure nicely; the Gulls 0/9 off seven, before O’Hare crunched two fours and a six of Wheller’s fourth over.
O’Hare and Lownds continued their steady build, being 0/45 off 20 and 0/73 after 30.
Their partnership ended on 94, in the 35th over, when Lownds was trapped in front by Matt Welsh (1/43).
O’Hare and Pete Sweeney (51) then spent 11 overs building a 20-run stand, before O’Hare smashed a rank full-toss from Morteza Ali (2/58) into the waiting hands of Wheller at deep mid-wicket.
The Seagulls’ champ was clearly annoyed; believing the ball had been hit above his waist.
Pete and Mick Sweeney (40) then lifted the tempo with a 62-run partnership from just 12 overs, before Mick and Brad Butler (1) left in quick succession.
The Gulls were 4/179, with 21 overs remaining.
Tooradin’s batting depth has been an absolute key this season, and once again the Gulls delivered late.
Pete Sweeney and Russell Lehman (35) put on 35 in eight overs, before Tom Hussey (26) joined Lehman for 45 runs off nine, including a stretch of 37 off five.
Dylan Sutton (23 not out) and Ben Mantel (8) then whacked 30 runs from the final four overs of the innings.
The Bulls would need to do everything right on day two to be a chance.
The opening exchanges were interrupted on several occasions, first with Alex Nooy (1) complaining of a reflection from a car which sat right behind Butler’s (5/56) bowling arm.
Nooy’s concentration was clearly impacted, and he was trapped in front by Butler – in the third over – with the first ball after another lengthy delay.
Then at the end of the eighth over there was a further stop in play, with skipper Mick Sweeney suggesting the almost-new Kookaburra had found its way out of shape.
The umpires conferred; and Butler had a brand-new ball to bowl with at the start of the ninth!
He wasted no-time in putting it to good use, with Travis Welsh (3) hitting the third ball with the new cherry to a gleeful Mick Sweeney at mid-off.
The Bulls were 2/20; with Wheller (5) joining Ali (32) for the key ‘day-two’ partnership.
The battle between Butler and Ali was brilliant to watch unfold.
Ali played a sublime flick through mid-wicket off Butler, before the quickie responded next ball with an absolute corker that jumped off a length, beat Ali’s outside edge, and flew terrorisingly quick to Ben Parrott behind the stumps.
It was a terrific battle, which ended when Ali mistimed a different version of his flick and gave Mick Sweeney another ‘dolly’ of a catch; this time at mid-on.
Butler had the first three; and the Bulls were almost down and out.
Wheller was four not out, and Bradey Welsh (1) on one not out when drinks were taken after 16 overs; the Bulls on life-support at 3/45.
Wheller, who had looked solid until drinks, then lost total concentration after the break; being lucky to survive a brute of an over from Butler before Lehman (2/28) cleaned bowled him in the next with a beautifully crafted in-dipper.
Both Butler and Lehman had the ball dipping away towards the South Gippsland Highway; Butler with his outies and Lehman with his innies.
Matt Welsh (65) survived an early-dismissal off a no-ball to play a fine innings, which at least gave the Bulls the chance to applaud a triple-figure score.
Butler was superb, taking five-fa!
“They boys were fantastic, and I couldn’t have asked too much more from them across the two days to be honest,” Mick Sweeney explained.
“We took Matt Welsh’s wicket off a no-ball early, which was probably our one blemish, but everyone played their role beautifully.”
Those three key partnerships on day one impressed the skipper most.
“We’ve spoken, not so much about players being in form but more the number of partnerships that we can put together throughout an innings,” he said.
“One or two big partnerships is great, but if we can put together several 30, 40, 50-run partnerships, then that’s what will carry us through.
“Everyone has jumped on board with that message, from one to 11; to establish the partnership first and then away you go.”
Champion all-rounder Lehman appears to have timed his run to perfection, and will take consecutive scores of 71, 45 and 35 into this week’s grand final against his former club Pakenham.
“It’s been a big change for him this season,” Sweeney began.
“He’s spent a lot of his time at one, two or three, and me asking him to bat at five, six, seven was always going to be a big change.
“There’s a lot more gaps at the top of the order, but down lower the field is more in front of you and that takes some getting used to.
“Working the medium pacers and spinners is a lot different to scoring off your front-line pace bowlers.
“The talent he is, he was always going to adjust; and his last few weeks have been outstanding.”
Sweeney and his team are now just one step away from glory.
“I’m super excited now, I can’t wait…I can’t remember the last time I was this excited for a cricket match.”
