By ADEM SARICAOGLU
THE unexpected match-up of Seddon and the Sunshine Druids is set to take place over the coming fortnight in Turf Cricket’s North A1 final – beginning this Saturday.
Neither club finished in the division’s top two after the home-and-away season and despite being on the road this weekend, they were able to win their respective semi-finals to reach the decider.
Impressive three-wicket hauls from Druids Jared Andrews and Leigh Wilson proved to be the difference at Taylors Lakes’ Lionheart Reserve on Sunday, where visiting Sunshine successfully defended its 164 to bowl Taylors Lakes out for just 57.
Meanwhile over at Langshaw Reserve, Seddon’s 268 proved far too much for the Altona Roosters, who stumbled in their chase to fall 95 runs short of victory.
Rooster Hamon Uppal fought hard for Altona on Sunday, but was run out for 69 and had little support from his team-mates throughout the order.
In the VTCA’s West B1 competition, Sunshine United advanced to the grand final and will take on Sunshine Heights in the coming fortnight after going to Saltwater Reserve and defeating Point Cook on its home turf on Sunday.
United posted 192 on day one with the help of Indika Dharmawardane (61) and Leigh Sheridan (58) in the middle order.
The following day, Point Cook could never really string together any decent partnerships in its chase, falling short at 158 after losing its final wicket in the 72nd over.
Sunshine Heights booked its ticket to the grand final in much more emphatic fashion, destroying Wyndhamvale with an outright win on its home deck at Ainsworth Reserve.
After choosing to bat first, Wyndhamvale’s fate was sealed after just 23 overs out in the middle when it was bowled out for a measly 21.
Heights itself wasn’t all that impressive in response only posting 118.
But after again managing to get on top with the ball and restricting Wyndhamvale to 108 in the second innings, Sunshine Heights only needed 10 balls to score the 14 runs required for victory.
