Bairnsdale Cricket Association is the 2024 division two Country Week champion after five unbeaten days of cricket, culminating in an exciting victory over Casey Cardinia in the grand final at the historic Albert Ground in Melbourne last Friday.
Restricting Casey Cardinia to 197 with Frankie Mostert taking 5/51 and spinner Jack Kesteven 3/31, Bairnsdale looked in trouble at 5/97, but the tail dug deep, led by man of the match and wicket keeper, Reagan Kyle (51).
Kyle combined in two significant partnerships with Brayden McCarrey (22) and Nicholas Adendorff (25), which saw Bairnsdale home with two wickets in hand and 10 overs remaining.
Mostert (21) and Brodie Anderson (20) also made solid contributions.
Bairnsdale skipper, Ryan Halford, was delighted with the victory, though it took a while to sink in.
“It really was a surreal feeling, we played some great cricket and constantly backed ourselves, but to win five in a row off a poor GCL season was surreal,” Halford said.
The skipper was high in praise of his side’s ability to stick to its game plan and goal at the start of the week.
“We set ourselves the goal of making the grand final and getting back in the provincial group, we thought if we played our natural game and we executed well it was achievable, credit must go to everyone in the squad for contributing,” Halford said.
Bairnsdale’s campaign began with a bang on Monday, when it outpointed recently crowned Gippsland Cricket League champions Latrobe Valley at the Bayswater Oval.
Latrobe Valley was bowled out late for 202 with the wickets shared between Mostert (3/31), Stephen Bertino (3/26) and Halford (2/32).
Bairnsdale cruised home for the loss of just four wickets with seven overs remaining, courtesy of a batting masterclass from Meerlieu supremo, Rohan Blandford.
His 113 from just 118 balls included 13 boundaries and a maximum as he dominated a 125-run partnership with Mostert, who made a classy 83.
On Tuesday, Bairnsdale amassed a huge 8/263 and restricted Hamilton to just 6/209 from its allotted 50 overs at Coburg.
McCarrey led the way with the bat smashing 82 from just 68 balls, getting plenty of support from Blandford (27), Mostert (29), Ricky Tatnell (24), Tom Hudson (22), Adendorff (33), Max Welsh (19) and Kyle (16).
The West Bairnsdale boys led the charge with ball, Anderson taking 2/28 and Halford 2/37.
Bairnsdale got the job done early in the afternoon on Wednesday, knocking Bellarine over for just 161 and getting the runs in just 30 overs.
The wickets were shared between Luke Endley (3/41), Anderson (3/17) and Tatnell (2/39).
Curtley Farley was impressive opening the batting in the absence of Blandford, making 20 before an unbroken 98-run partnership between Mostert (76) and Hudson (41) saw Bairnsdale home for the loss of just three wickets.
Bairnsdale warmed up for the grand final on Thursday with a 141-run humbling of Sunraysia at Greenvale.
Batting first and posting the imposing score of 7/168, Farley led the scoring with 62, well supported by Adendorff (45), Hudson (35), Tatnell (31) and Halford (31 not out).
Tatnell (4/18) and Anderson (4/20) bowled superbly as Sunraysia crumbled for just 125.
Mostert led all scorers for the week with 188 runs, while the consistent Anderson was the leading wicket taker with 11.
