Cricket
9 March, 2025
Bullants and Tigers to face off in grand final
The Noradjuha Toolondo Bullants and Horsham Tigers will face each other in next week's Horsham Cricket Association B-grade grand final following victories over the Panthers and Colts, respectively, on Saturday, March 8, and Sunday, March 9.
Like their A-grade side, the Bullants finished fourth on the ladder and upset the favourites Rup/Minyip Panthers by 50 runs at Coughlin Park.
The Panthers came into the clash with only one loss for the season, and a great win in the one-day grand final last week.
After winning the toss and batting, the Bullants got off to a great start by opening batsmen Kent Hair and Jesse Brown, who put on a 30-run partnership.
Hugh Weidemann caught Hair off Scott McCurdy's bowling for 24, and wickets fell regularly around Brown, with the Bullants finding themselves at 5/78.
With Brown at the crease, Tom Hair supported him scoring 17, and when he fell, Angus Slatter stepped up, scoring 18, guiding the Bullants to 8/154.
Brown's innings was pivotal for the Bullants. He finished on 56 off 186 balls. The Panthers' best bowlers were Ryder Hudson, 2/16, and Seth Talbot, 2/27.
Needing 155 to win, the Panthers' innings got off to a terrible start, with Heath Lang and Riley Lane putting on a blistering bowling display, taking the first five wickets between them to have the Panthers in trouble at 5/46.
Lang took the wickets of Hugh Weidemann, 2, Leigh Funcke, 1, and Ryder Hudson for a duck, while Lane claimed Brent Hudson for seven and Jarvis Mitchell for 13.
Mason Hair then got in on the action, bowling Scott McCurdy for 15, and taking the wicket of Jacke McKenzie for six to have the Panthers reeling at 7/56.
Seth Talbot and Nicholas McIntyre tried to resurrect the innings, putting on a partnership of 27.
Angus Slatter then took the breakthrough wicket, bowling Talbot for 11. Despite resistance from McIntyre and Hugo Funcke at ten, who faced 21 balls, the target was too much, with the Bullants bowling the Panthers out for 104 in the 35th over with McIntyre unbeaten on 22.
Heath Lang stood out with the ball for the Bullants, taking 4/28 (11.3).
At the Dimboola Recreation Reserve, the Tigers defeated the Colts by five wickets.
After winning the toss and batting, the Colts lost Kevin Purchase early, with Cody Stewart trapping him in front for LBW for two.
Drew Carmody and Nathan Keel steadied the ship with a partnership of 43 before both fell quickly. Carmody was bowled by Dale Dridan for 20 and Keel was caught by Gavin Brown off the bowling of Chris Eagle for 21.
Beau Purchase and Ross Frew then helped steady the ship, putting on 23 runs, but like the second-wicket partnership, both fell quickly, with the Colts in trouble at 5/70.
Harrison Millar and Austin Simpson then rebuilt the innings through good batting. Both looked in fine touch as they ran between the wickets well.
They put on a partnership of 58 runs before Millar was caught by Chris Eagle off the bowling of Amrit B K for 21.
Amrit B K then took the wicket of Alex Baker for a duck, and the Colts found themselves at 7/132.
With Simpson looking excellent at the crease, Liam James supported him with five, before he fell to Amrit B K's bowling and the score was 8/152.
Through Austin Simpson, and a crucial 12 to Chris Potter, the Colts managed to make 177 with Simpson scoring 53.
Amrit B K was the star for the Tigers, finishing with 5/31 (14.1) with three maidens.
The Colts struck early on Sunday, with Drew Carmody trapping Callum Jackson leg before for a duck.
Scott Marks and Janith Herath then came together to put on a 45-run partnership before Marks fell for 24, caught by Austin Simpson off the bowling of Harrison Millar.
Herath then batted well with Chris Eagle, putting on 30 runs before he fell for 45, caught and bowled by Harrison Millar.
Beau Purchase then struck for the Colts, claiming the wickets of Nigel Binney and Gavin Brown to have the Tigers 5/109.
With Eagle set at the crease, Dale Dridan came in to support him, and both batted well to guide the Tigers to victory in the 60th over, with Eagle unbeaten on 64 and Dridan on 29.
Harrison Millar took 2/36 (8) while Purchase finished with 2/36 (17) for the Colts.
