Power out of CAW finals

The seasons of Mount Beauty United Cricket Club’s three sides have all ended over the weekend. In a disappointing Saturday for the club, its first and second grade sides were defeated in elimination finals, while their third eleven were unable to field a team in their final home and away game for the season. Up against Kiewa for the second time in a week, Mount Beauty hit the road in the battle between first and sixth searching for an upset finals win, which was made a little more difficult with the absence of several first-choice players. The early dismissals of Toby Derrick (4) and Todd Jeanes (0) would normally have given Kiewa the upper hand in the opening ten overs, but was offset by skipper Greg McLennan going ballistic at the other end, who scored at a strike rate of almost two runs per ball at different stages of the powerplay. McLennan, who has led from the front with bat in hand all season, scored a quickfire 58 from only 50 balls to give his side a fighting chance of victory. Nick Iaria hit four boundaries and one big six in his important knock of 41, and most of these runs were scored with his captain on their way to a third-wicket partnership of 45. When McLennan was caught on the boundary in the last over before drinks with the team’s score on 95, a solid platform had been built, but as has been the case for much of the season, the Power’s middle order failed to capitalise on a positive start and limped to a total of 9/149. Everything had to go right for Mount Beauty to defend their moderate total, but the early breakthrough couldn’t be made. Kiewa’s brutal opening pair John Spencer and Nat Sariman showed their class with a 99-run stand, and while another wicket was snared three runs later, the home team cruised to an eight-wicket victory with eleven overs and two balls remaining. Kiewa will play off against Eskdale for a place in the decider, while Yackandandah and Bethanga will compete for the other grand final spot. Meanwhile, Mount Beauty’s second team (85) have also been eliminated from their finals series after a home defeat to Bethanga (1/88), who recorded a comprehensive nine-wicket win.

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