By Chris Handasyde
U14-3 Grand Final: Healesville 8/195 defeated Wonga Park 169 – Day 2 of 2-day game
Having batted first last week and amassing 8/195, Healesville needed to buckle down in the field and bowl well to win the game. James Howden got the first wicket with a catch to keeper Aeden Senti when the score was 10. Soon after Harry Duff took another with Aeden Senti taking his second catch – Healesville were on top at 2/12. Wonga Park consolidated their innings with a 64-run partnership but two quick wickets would see Wonga Park at 2/81. Wonga Park was never going to lay down and continued scoring at a rate that never saw them requiring more than 6 an over for victory. With 50 runs required from 10 overs and 4 wickets in hand the game was in the balance. Raff Morcombe (0/22 off 7), Endo Gotch (0/19 off 8) and James Howden (2/19 off 6) were economical but a high scoring over off Harry Duff (2/24) saw the run rate come down. As presure built Healesville captured two run-outs and when Max Ferris took the final wicket the Premiership was Healsville’s with 26 runs to spare. Congratulations to the Under 14 Team.
U16-4 Grand Final: Healesville 164 v South Croydon 5/166 – day 2 of 2 day split innings game
Resuming on 4/89 Healesville had 25 overs to bat and set a score to defend. Denzel Parsons and Tom Handasyde were at the crease with Denzel having only 10 balls remaining before he retired. Tom pierced the infield a few times on a wet surface on his way to 50* when he retired having faced 50 balls. Taylor Caldicott batted well for his 16. With wickets falling our retired batters of Sam Drummond and Denzel Parsons would re-enter the innings. Denzel (34) didn’t last long and at 9/154 we still needed runs from our remaining 6 overs. Sam Drummond held the innings together but his final partner Tom Handasyde would be caught for 56 with 4.4 over remaining and our score ended on 164. South Croydon required 75 runs from their remaining 25 overs and Healesville needed 7 wickets. Some dropped catches allowed a partnership to build and Healesville didn’t capture a wicket until the score was 160. Another wicket to Sam Drummond (2/33) and they were 5/160. With 15 balls to spare South Croydon notched up the runs to become Premiers.
