By CHRIS ANDERSON
YVDCA
WHEN the dust settled on a hotly contested day of cricket, the finals teams emerged for all grades.
In DJ Strachan Shield, only Yarra Junction could unseat those in the four, but to its benefit, it knew where they stood: win or bust.
The Eagles hosted Woori Yallock in a clash between two teams littered with talent.
Yarra Junction opened up with the bat but struggled to make an impression.
Consistent opener Marcus Hottes (30) and young star Cam Spaulding (21) put together a useful early partnership.
Unfortunately for the Eagles, neither batsman could capitalise on their starts and quickly found themselves on the back foot, succumbing to Ben Hayes (2/22) and Ryan Smith (2/22).
Led by the swing and pace of Simon Young (2/22), the Tigers had too many aces up their sleeves, and dismissed the opposition for 108.
In reply Quinton Hodgkinson (2/17) and Hayden Wilson (2/22) put the wind up the Tigers, and had them questioning their self-belief.
Unfortunately for the home side, brilliant all-rounder Simon Young (49) answered the call and led his side to a three-wicket win.
Seville finished its home and away season with a win in a rather uninspiring contest on the road to Healesville.
Bowling first, the Bloods found some grunt, and unsettled the reigning premiers with their approach.
Seville didn’t seem to cope, and despite a couple of handy knocks from Scott Rackham (21) and Ryan Akers (21) early on, they had no answers for Healesville’s rising talent Dermott Fry (4/21), who teamed well with Chance Burridge (2/20) and Dylan Moore (2/19), as the home side swept through the Blues, dismissing them for 88.
Matt Tilney (3/14) and Dean Troyhan (3/20) enjoyed the fruits of success after toiling manfully the week previously, while the newly promoted Mark Sandfort (3/11) had a second game to remember as he polished off the home side for a dismal 64.
Not for the first time in recent years, Seville has earned the right to host a semi-final.
Meanwhile, Mount Evelyn put its hat into the premiership ring, as they finally captured a big scalp, accounting for ladder-leader Warburton-Millgrove at home.
Mount Evelyn won the toss and elected to bat in tricky conditions.
Despite losing an early wicket, Gareth Fraser (59) and Chris Anderson (23) battled undeterred against an attack that possesses many threats.
Eventually, Fraser broke the reins, and, with wickets in hand, slowly accelerated the scoring.
With the pair falling when the whips began to crack, the Burras began to take advantage as Luke Darwall (5/34) began to tuck away some much-deserved wickets for the visitors.
But the home side eventually pushed the score to 8/151, courtesy of some hefty blows late from Jesse Fraser (22).
In reply, with Chris Anderson (2/15) capturing a couple of wickets early, the home side edged their noses in front, where it remained for the majority of the visitors’ innings, despite another brilliant knock by David Lever (53).
Brothers Brad (3/33) and Kane Jones (4/20) ensured the Rovers would clinch the game and a finals berth claiming vital wickets along the way.
DJ Strachan Shield
Woori Yallock 7/110 (S. Young 49, Q. Hodgkinson 2/17, H. Wilson 2/22) d Yarra Junction 108 (M. Hottes 30, C. Spaulding 21, S. Young 2/22, B. Hayes 2/22, R. Smith 2/22), Seville 88 (S. Rackham 21, R. Akers 21, D. Fry 4/21, D. Moore 2/19, C. Burridge 2/20) d Healesville 64 (S. Hamer 18, M. Sandfort 3/11, M. Tilney 3/14, D. Troyan 3/20), Mount Evelyn 8/151 (G. Fraser 59, C. Anderson 23, J. Fraser 22, L Darwall 5/34) d Warburton-Millgrove 117 (David Lever 53, A Humphrey 25no, K. Jones 4/20, B. Jones 3/33), Hoddles Creek v Bye.
RA Finger Trophy
Woori Yallock 9/163 (D. Worlley 73no, T. Smith 34, B. Ganson 4/42, R.Boxall 3/24) d Yarra Junction 79 (T. Hawkins 25, S. Morgan 5/6, M. White 5/30), Coldstream 2/261 (D Oliffe 143no, B. Walsh 95, L. Van Der Vlugt 1/32) d Hoddles Creek 9/125 (L. Rowe 33, G. Edmonds 27no, L. Creedy 5/44, C. Dikschei 2/10), Healesville 5/157 (C. Bunn 46no, M. Davern 38, B. Mackay 33, R. Prouse 3/30) d Seville 6/156 (J. McInnes 62, L. McGookin 25, M. Davern 2/15) , Warburton-Millgrove 3/305 (S. Abblitt 100, J. Lewis 70, C. Morgan 62, I. Andrueza 50no) d Mount Evelyn 9/110 (A. Whiting 28, A. Brisbane-Flynn 20, T. Appleton 3/17, J. Nelson 2/16, M. Hadj 2/21).
