Members of the Rendelsham Rams Cricket Club could chiefly thank their co-captain Dylan Clough for winning the 2015/16 Millicent and District Cricket Association Division 1 grand final at the main McLaughlin Park oval in mid-March of 2016.
Played against the reigning premiers the Millicent Footballers in their home town, Clough spearheaded his team’s convincing 86 run victory.
He did his team a great service before a ball was even bowled as he correctly called the toss and elected to bat.
With a crowd of 300 looking on, Clough lit up McLaughlin Park with a powerhouse innings of 68.
It included four fours and one six and only came to an end when Matt Pilmore completed a juggling catch on the deep mid-wicket boundary.
Clough had shared an opening partnership of 59 with Simon Beggs (27).
The pair had also put on a half-century opening partnership in the preliminary final at this venue against the Millicent Black Hats the previous week.
In an unhappy coincidence for Beggs, he was also run out in the grand final.
At the 20 over break for drinks, the Rendelsham Rams were well placed at 1/68.
Handy contributions in the middle order came from Brad Wight (22) and Sam Telfer (17).
The grass had recently been cut on the main oval at McLaughlin Park and the score of 9/183 off 40 overs was an impressive tally.
The ever-green Ian Ferguson was the stand-out bowler with 4/34 while Jeremy Hales and Jason Barnes each took two wickets.
In reply, the Footballers had to score at almost five runs-per-over to retain the prestigious Cameron DeGaris Shield.
The reigning premiers lost their first wicket with just one run on the board.
When co-captain Tyson Smith dismissed Footballers skipper John Facey, his side had one hand on the shield.
Some top-order resistance came from top-scorer Bronte Grosser with 23 while the best of the rest were James Varcoe (16), Barnes (15) and Hales (13).
The run rate required for victory steadily mounted as Clough further turned the screws by taking three wickets.
The last main hope for the batting team was Hales but he had his stumps disturbed by Andy Leigh.
With the score on 97, Cameron Saint struck the ball into the safe hands of Marcus Bennett at mid-off and the grand final was over.
In another remarkable coincidence, Bennett had featured in the final action of the preliminary final when he belted the winning runs with a hit through square leg.
At the post-match presentations, Clough was named grand final man-of-the-match.
It was the first Rendelsham Rams triumph in this grade since the 2011/12 season.
Division 2 – Furner/Beachport 8/100 defeated Mount Burr 10/98
It was a similar story in the Division 2 grand final played on the adjacent Norm Facey Ovals as Mount Burr was unable to defend its title in the Millicent and District Cricket Association.
It was the fourth time the reigning premiers had faced Furner/Beachport this season and the fourth time it had lost a hard fought encounter.
Mount Burr won the toss and was in heaps of bother after its top five batters were dismissed in the single digits.
After 20 overs had been bowled, the Burr boys had collapsed to be 5/50.
Co-captain Rob Francis was playing a lone hand and put a high price on his wicket.
The vast majority of his runs came from singles as his side inched towards 100.
Mount Burr was eventually dismissed for 98 with Francis making the bulk of the runs with 52.
Facing such a modest target, openers Dale Bateman and Mitch Pulmer set about winning the match.
Bateman was out for a duck and the top order also crumbled.
Skipper Jack Skeer and Lewis Walker also failed to score while modest contributions also came from Todd Watson (3), Dr Sean McGrath (6) and former captain Justin MacGregor (5).
The reigning premiers still looked a slim chance when the scoreboard showed 6/63 and then 8/91.
Francis was the most effective of the bowlers with 3/12 off his eight over allocation while Steve Hughes and Craig Kuiper took two wickets apiece.
However, Pulmer (48) and Luke MacGregor (25) stood in the way of a Mount Burr victory.
There were still eight runs needed for victory when Jase Faulkner joined Sam Wallis with only James Gilbertson left to bat.
After a couple of singles and leg byes, Faulkner faced Mount Burr co-captain Nathan Muhovics who sent down the 35th over of the grand final.
Faulkner got a thick outside edge on the fourth delivery and it spent a lot of time in the air as it flew through the gully region.
It eventually hit the turf and crossed the boundary to give Furner/Beachport the premiership.
Francis was the most effective of the bowlers with 3/12 off his eight over allocation while Steve Hughes and Craig Kuiper took two wickets apiece
Pulmer was adjudged as the man-of-the-match in the grand final for his fine knock of 48 as well as excellent wicket-keeping which included a leg-side stumping.
At 56 years of age, Bateman was also able to celebrate another batting trophy as the leading run scorer in the Millicent and District Cricket Association.
