ST MARYS will play YOBS in this Saturday's A grade cricket grand final for the Barnard Cup, after both teams scored heart-stopping wins in a memorable start to the finals series at Barnard Park last weekend.
On Saturday, YOBS appeared destined for victory over Saints in the major semi-final when they needed only 12 runs from the last 26 balls to win, only to run out of overs and see Saints book the first spot in the grand final with a two-run victory.
Saints batted first and notched an excellent total of 191 all out from 49 overs, with Nick Barr hitting a superb 70 runs, his highest innings for the club.
YOBS were docked two overs for slow over rates, resulting in their target of 192 from 48 overs.
Nayton Colombera (48) and Ben Clarke (52) steered YOBS into a winning position, before Saints skipper Danny Hatton (4-27) applied the brakes with a crucial wicket maiden to see the score dry up as YOBS were eventually left on 9-189.
On Sunday, the Margaret River Hawks suffered an incredible defeat after appearing certain to win the preliminary final over YOBS.
Hawks batted first and made another strong total of 9-183 from 50 overs, with Gareth Edmonds (45) and Shane Joyce (66 not out) playing perfect roles for their side.
Haig Colombera (4-18) starred with the ball for YOBS, actually hitting the stumps five times, one of which did not disturb the bails.
Then in reply, YOBS crashed to 8-102 in 36 overs, needing a seemingly impossible 82 more to win.
Strong outfield catching by Stu Roberts and Rumesh Silva put Hawks in what appeared to be an unassailable position.
It required one of the great innings in local cricket history, an unbeaten 83 off 87 balls from Ben Clarke, to see YOBS snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
Clarke added 31 for the ninth wicket with Matty Braid, and then an unbroken 50 for the tenth wicket with Matt Connaughton to get YOBS into the grand final with seven balls to spare.
All in all, Sunday's preliminary final is never likely to be forgotten by those who played in it.
Saturday's minor semi-final, played on a superb bouncy turf wicket at Margaret River, was a one-sided affair.
Opting to bat first, Dunsborough were pegged down to 95 all out from 40.5 overs, with opening bowler Aaron Thomas (4-19) and allrounder Rumesh Silva (2-5 off nine overs) doing most of the damage for Hawks.
Rumesh wasted no time in winning the game for Margaret River, hitting a lightning 66 not out as his team cantered home to win by nine wickets in the 18th over against an undermanned Dunsborough attack.
B grade
Vasse will play Dunsborough in the B grade grand final for the Barnard Shield on Saturday after a commanding performance to destroy YOBS in the second semi-final. Matt Kammann hit an unbeaten 99 as Vasse tallied 2-231, then held YOBS to 9-120.
Dunsborough scored its grand final berth with two nail-biting wins, beating St Marys in the first semi on Saturday by 11 runs, then beating YOBS in the preliminary final on Sunday by just six runs.
Results - 1st semi final: Dunsborough 8-159 (45 overs) (T. Schofield 66no, A. Coultas 27, B. Mattock 3-12) b St Marys 148 (41.4 overs) (J. La Motte 50no, D. La Motte 34, I. Purcell 4-12, M. Cooper 3-21).
2nd semi final: Vasse 2-231 (45 overs) (M. Kammann 99no, S. Young 61, S. Shepherd 55no) b YOBS 9-120 (45 overs) (J. O'Malley 28, T. Payne 25, T. Perks 2-14, D. Horncastle 2-29).
Prelim final: Dunsborough 153 (C. Morris 46, B. Siney 20, J. Trewren 4-19, R. Gianola 2-32, J. Grylls 2-42) b YOBS 147 (44.1 overs) (A. Logan 29, R. Ligtermoet 22, J. Omodei 3-23, R. Martin 3-28).
