A DEVASTATING century by Aaron Andrich has earned Dunsborough Cricket Club the right to host the Busselton-Margaret River Cricket Association grand finals on March 12.
Playing in the A-Grade second semi-final against St Marys at the Dunsborough Playing Fields on Saturday, Andrich smashed 104 runs off 93 balls, hitting 10 fours and 5 sixes, to power Dunsborough to an unassailable total of 7-290 - believed to be a record score for a 50-over final in the history of local cricket.
Andrich teamed with Phil Watts (68 not out) for a partnership of 133 runs to set up the monster total, after opener Alex Cooke (35) had earlier laid the foundations on a great pitch for batting.
St Marys gave it a shot and replied with a creditable total of 192, which included 58 from veteran opener Marc Ford and an unbeaten 40 off 40 balls from Jono Lloyd.
Young spinner Elijah Truscott (3-38) and Seb Watts and Cameron Sharpe (two wickets each) were the best of the bowlers for Dunsborough.
Meanwhile, the first semi-final at Barnard Park saw an amazing recovery by Yallingup-Oddbods to get up against Margaret River Hawks.
Put into bat, Yallingup-Oddbods collapsed to 9-64 to the bowling of Trent Matthews (4-17) and Mat Kent (3-28) before tailender Scott Young smashed 74 off 54 balls (including 5 fours and 4 sixes) and shared a 10th wicket partnership of 81 with Matt Connaughton to see YOBS finish on 145 all out off 42.1 overs.
Hawks were travelling well in reply at 1-46 before Yallingup-Oddbods skipper Haig Colombera came on to bowl and immediately took wickets, finishing with 6-26 off eight overs, as Hawks were bowled out for 113.
This Saturday's A-Grade preliminary final will see St Marys take on Yallingup-Oddbods at Barnard Park for the right to meet Dunsborough in next week's grand final at Dunsborough.
Meanwhile, the B-Grade preliminary final last Saturday at the Dunsborough Playing Fields saw Dunsborough duplicate the result on the adjoining over by beating St Marys comfortably.
Batting first, Dunsborough totalled 234 from their 45 overs, with Ben Danaher (58), skipper Cam Morris (56) and Alex Coultas (51) leading the way with the bat.
Justin Gower took four wickets for St Marys, who lost wickets early on before finishing on 138 all out, with Kye Barrow (42) the best contributor and Andreas Pantelias (3-11) the best bowler for Dunsborough.
In the C-Grade preliminary final at Vasse, Vasse totalled 6-233 off 40 overs against Dunsborough, with Dennis Amour (54) and Boh Lomas (40 not out off just 19 balls) chiefly responsible for the score.
Six different bowlers took wickets for Dunsborough, who replied with 8-136 off 40 overs, Charlie Siney hitting a fine 49 not out.
