A half-century and a hat-trick dominated the West Wimmera Warriors big win in the Horsham Cricket Association C Grade Twenty20 grand final on Sunday.
Both the Warriors and their opponent, Horsham Saints Black, went into the game undefeated in this format, and a competitive match was anticipated.
The Saints’ captain won the toss and chose to bowl first, a decision that the Warriors’ batters took full advantage of, with two significant partnerships setting the foundation for a solid score.
Opener Jeremy Weeks contributed 23 to an opening stand of 46, and Jack Crowhurst made a quick 16 in a second 46 run partnership, both with Nathan Sparling at the other end, who retired not out with 52.
Several wickets fell towards the end of the inning in a flurry to score some quick runs, with Lochie Hahne the other to reach double figures with 11.
At the end of their twenty overs, the Warriors had made the challenging total of 128 and had lost five wickets in the process.
The run chase started slowly with Xavier Bone and Bailey Zimmermann bowling tightly, and they were supported by some enthusiastic fielding.
The first wicket came when the Saints had only scored one run when Crowhurst caught a lofted hit at mid-on from the bowling of Zimmermann, and the same combination took a second wicket on the very next ball.
With a hat-trick on offer, the fielders moved in, and the nervous incoming batsman was determined to survive the next delivery. He successfully blocked the ball to avoid being caught like his colleagues, but when the ball bounced, it spun back into the stumps, giving Zimmermann three wickets in three balls and reducing the Saints to 3 for 1.
Above - Team-mates celebrate Bailey Zimmermann’s third wicket in as many balls.
The innings never gained any momentum after this, with wickets falling regularly, courtesy of one run out and two wickets each to Wallace Wheaton and Bailey McQueen, and when Crowhurst took one off the last ball of the match, the Saints had only made 80 for the loss of nine wickets giving the Warriors a 48 run victory.
Zimmermann was an obvious and popular recipient of the Man of the Match for his hat-trick in his return of three wickets for two runs from three overs.
(The full scorecard appears after photo.)
The victorious West Wimmera Warriors C Grade team.
Horsham Cricket Association - C Grade - 2021/22 Twenty20 Grand Final
West Wimmera Warriors won by 48 runs
West Wimmera Warriors First Innings
| J Weeks | run out | | 23
| | N Sparling | retired not out | | 52
| | J Crowhurst | ct. J Butler | b. R Vekariya | 16
| | L Hahne | run out | | 11
| | B McQueen | not out | | 8
| | D Schneider | ct. K Dalgleish | b. J B Joseph | 4
| | W Wheaton | ct. L Kuriakose | b. J B Joseph | 4
| | X Bone | not out | | 3
| | Sundries | | | 7
| | TOTAL | (20 Overs) | 5 for 128
|
Horsham Saints Black Bowling
| | O | M | R | W
| | J H Joseph | 3 | 1 | 9 | 0
| | L Kuriakose | 3 | 0 | 17 | 0
| | B Sleep | 3 | 0 | 21 | 0
| | K Goodwin | 3 | 0 | 16 | 0
| | R Vekariya | 3 | 0 | 21 | 1
| | J B Joseph | 3 | 0 | 31 | 2
| | D Hogan | 2 | 0 | 8 | 0
|
Horsham Saints Black Innings
| B Sleep | ct. J Crowhurst | b. B Zimmermann | 1
| | D Hogan | ct. J Crowhurst | b. B Zimmermann | 0
| | L Kuriakose | lbw | b. B McQueen | 14
| | K Goodwin | | b. B Zimmermann | 0
| | J B Joseph | ct. B McQueen | b. W Wheaton | 10
| | R Vekariya | run out (J Crowhurst) | | 1
| | J Butler | | b. B McQueen | 0
| | K Dalgleish | ct. ? | b. J Crowhurst | 30
| | J H Joseph | ct. ? | b. W Wheaton | 0
| | A Hedt | not out | | 7
| | Sundries | | | 17
| | TOTAL | (20 Overs) | 9 for 80
|
West Wimmera Warriors Bowling
| | O | M | R | W
| | X Bone | 3 | 0 | 6 | 0
| | B Zimmermann | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3
| | W Wheaton | 3 | 0 | 14 | 2
| | J George | 3 | 0 | 14 | 0
| | B McQueen | 3 | 0 | 11 | 2
| | L Hahne | 2 | 0 | 11 | 0
| | J Crowhurst | 3 | 0 | 21 | 1
|
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