THE TWELFTH MAN – HDCA – Grand finals
UNDEFEATED premiers is a title that sits well with the mighty Tahara D Grade, wrapping up a pair of club grand finals wins with a thriller at Pedrina Park against Coleraine.
The D Grade game ebbed and flowed between the two teams all day and the one-wicket victory margin showed just how tight the match was as the Blue Caps chased down the target set by Coleraine.
Tahara won the toss and elected to send Coleraine into bat on the synthetic surface and the game began with each team refusing to give the other an inroad as Chris Young and Xavier Dwyer handed Coleraine a solid foundation of 41 for the first wicket.
Dwyer (17) was the first to walk back to the pavilion after being bowled by Anthony Ractliffe in the 10th over to finally hand the Blue Caps a wicket.
Young was joined by Thomas Janetzki and again the pair refused to hand their wickets over cheaply as the Blue Caps were made to earn the wickets and the pair took the score to 83 before Young (33) was caught by Ben Kamp from the bowling of John Pepper.
The Coleraine top order had set the foundation for the team to go on and score heavily in the second half of the innings, having only lost the one wicket by the halfway point of the innings, but the quick wicket of Young after the drinks break only saw the run rate improve as Tom Rowland (44) increased the tempo.
Janetzki (38) had played his role perfectly and Coleraine batted around Rowland for the remainder of the overs to finish 8-172 from their allotted 40 overs, with Tahara skipper Colin Myers (3-19) taking the bowling honours.
Although Pedrina Park 3 is a small, fast ground, such a target was going to take some batting if the Blue Caps were to hunt it down.
Coleraine had their supporters in raptures after only 20 balls on the second innings, as Tahara slumped to be 3-3 with Tyler Gleeson (duck), Billy Rhook (duck) both caught at the wicket by Young from the bowling of Janetzki and then Luke Ferguson (three) caught by Archie Templeton as Braeden Marett struck.
The Blue Caps’ top order was sitting on the sidelines looking on as Keith Northcott, Connor Lambert and William Templeton took on the role of rescuers.
The trio had to cement their place at the wicket and not fall into the trap of chasing the ball and they waited for the bad balls to come as runs began to flow at a steady pace.
Northcott was brilliant as he finished with 74 from only 82 balls with 11 boundaries while Lambert (21) and Templeton (29) gave him great support in dragging the Blue Caps back into the contest.
All three were sitting in the pavilion with only 138 on the board as the sixth wicket fell and Coleraine was back at the helm.
A quickfire 21-run partnership between Ben Kamp (12) and Paul Barnes (nine) had Tahara on course, but Tom Rowland claimed his third wicket of the innings when he had Kamp caught.
Xavier Dwyer then removed Barnes and Xavier Ractliffe (duck) in the space of three balls to have the Maroons on the verge of glory at 9-160.
But Myers (two-not-out) and Anthony Ractliffe (six-not-out) stood firm against the Coleraine bowlers who succumbed to the pressure by delivering some wayward deliveries that went for extras, as the last pair added 13 to win by a wicket.
Rowland was adjudged as man of the match for his 44 runs and 4-49 with the ball for Coleraine.
Tonissen tames Demons
TAHARA all-rounder, Jon Tonissen, tamed Macarthur as the Blue Caps claimed the HDCA C Grade grand final at KFC Oval, Pedrina Park in Hamilton on Saturday.
Tonissen was named man of the match after a brilliant display with both bat and ball ensured the premiership shield would return home with the Tahara players.
Minor premiers Macarthur entered the game as firm favourites and the Demons elected to send Tahara into bat after winning the toss.
Archie Cameron made a huge start to the game with only the fourth ball of the match, when he had Fletcher Wheeler caught by Matt Timms for a duck to hand his side the perfect start.
Adam Fry took the new ball from the opposite end and his accuracy was perfect for the grand final as the pair sent down their allotted eight overs, each allowing only 36 runs from the combined 16 overs while grabbing a wicket each.
Darcy Jones and Matt Timms took over the attack for the Demons, while Jack Rhook and Liam Tonissen were at the wicket for the Blue Caps.
Rhook (16) did not last long as Jones tempted him from his crease and Ian Brilley whipped the bails off to have Tahara at 3-38 in the 19th over.
Jones would have a second scalp as Timms caught Liam Tonissen (six) with only 43 on the board in the 23rd over and the Demons held a firm grasp on the match.
Brandon Disson came out swinging at number six and his 38 runs came from only 20 balls as he hit the fence twice and cleared it on another three occasions, he and Jon Tonissen adding 54 for the fifth wicket to swing the game.
Tonissen would raise his bat to accept the applause for reaching 50 before Brilley had his second stumping of the innings, Timms claiming the valuable wicket to leave Tahara on 8-156 from their 40 overs as Jones (3-41) took the bowling honours.
Timms chimed-in with (2-18) in a disciplined display from Macarthur.
With less than 150 to chase, the Demons were firm favourites to claim the title, but the Blue Caps refused to allow the Demons into the game after the tea break.
The early wickets of Timms (17) and Cody Herring (four) to Jack Goodman were the inspiration the Tahara team required, the bowlers delivering a brilliant line and length that saw wickets tumble in a steady fashion.
The Macarthur batsmen were never settled as the Tahara bowlers forced mistakes and all chances offered were gleefully accepted.
The Demons lost 10-63 to collapse and be all out for 77, with Jon Tonissen (4-17) backing up with the ball to grab man of the match honours, while Jack and Harry Goodman grabbed two wickets each in support.
The C Grade competition was the most evenly fought out grade in the HDCA this season and no doubt will be again next season, as all teams regroup over winter.
