By Nick Creely
The Cranbourne Cricket Club is off to play on the MCG on Wednesday, after defeating ECA’s South Camberwell in a tense Regional Big Bash clash at Schramms Reserve on Sunday.
The powerhouse Eagles have had a near flawless Twenty20 campaign, defeating Glengarry and South Caulfield in previous rounds.
On a muggy Sunday afternoon, the Eagles elected to bat, where they lost a couple of early wickets to be sitting on 2/27 off around a run-a-ball.
But a 105-run partnership between Matthew Chasemore (81 from 48 balls) and Steven Spoljaric (49 from 39) lifted the Eagles to 4/169.
Spoljaric then struck twice in the first over, removing Daniel O’Connell and Stephen O’Connell in consecutive balls, before another wicket left the South Camberwell team at 3/25 and plenty of work to do.
But star batsman Tom Bach (52) counter-attacked, and combined with Sam Fairbrother (31) got South to a reasonable platform to launch for victory.
With 63-runs off the final five overs, South Camberwell looked completely gone, before Luke D’Astoli (15 off 9 balls) and Beau Coyle (32 off 16) roared life back into the game.
And it came down to the final over, with 22 runs needed for an unlikely victory – and they gave it an almighty crack, finishing on 7/161, just nine runs away from victory.
Spoljaric (2/32), Chasemore (2/28), Cameron Kelly (2/34) and Stuart Plunkett (1/33) were prominent with the ball.
Nonetheless, the Eagles will now take their wares to the world’s most famous sporting arena, against Geelong Cricket Association team East Belmont.
Both are powerhouses, and both have undoubted match-winning players, in what is going to be an exciting spectacle in predicted warm Melbourne weather.
The Lions are a powerful Twenty20 side, having won their last eight matches in this format – they have got Sean O’Neill, who has made 144 runs this tournament, only bettered by Spoljaric, while they also possess Matthew Lineker, a first-class cricketer from the UK who causes damage with both bat and ball, while with the ball they have David Williams, who has taken seven wickets from his three games so far.
But with the two-punch combination of Spoljaric and Chasemore, as well as the impressive Lucas Ligt, consistent Kelly and exciting Brandon Tyzzer, the Eagles will fancy their chances on the big boundaries of the ‘G’.
It has been a remarkably successful twelve-months for the Eagles, who will look to continue their chase for silverware.
The match will begin at 9am, with spectators to sit in rows M37-M57.
For people who wish to attend on Wednesday, Gate 2 of the MCG will open at 8am for the public. Public parking is at the Eastern Car Park.
