By DAVID NAGEL
A magical century from master illusionist Tom Hussey (146) and some sleight of hand deception from Steve Hamill (5/32) have seen Tooradin exorcise its demons and win this season’s West Gippsland Cricket Association Premier Division grand final.
The Seagulls’ (266) victory over a brave Merinda Park (156) closed the lid on the bubbling black magic of 12 months ago – a losing grand final against Kooweerup – and completed a weekend when the entire Tooradin Cricket Club went on a mystical and magnificent magic carpet ride.
The Premier Division crown topped off earlier wins in the under-17, D Grade and Sub-District Divisions as a Sunday spell of success swept through the club.
Seagulls’ skipper Aaron Avery won the toss and, from the moment he elected to bat, the elegant Hussey entranced all on a pristine centre-stage at Glover Reserve.
He unleashed his full array of shots, including a glorious cut behind square for six, as he joined forces with Brenton Adams (16), Callum O’Hare (17) and Dylan Sutton (13) to have the Seagulls well placed for a charge at 3/141.
Shannon Mathers (2/38) was the pick of the Cobras’ bowlers early, claiming the scalps of O’Hare and Sutton to keep his team gripping on to its hopes by a finger nail.
A hot chance to gully, just before tea, was the only blemish in a phenomenal display of batting by Hussey.
An effortless flick of his toes, dispatching Jess Mathers (3/86) over the mid-wicket fence, was an imperious display of batsmanship.
Avery (41) joined a now rampant Hussey for a 91-run union that ticked over at almost five runs per over, and had the Seagulls staring a 300-run score square in the face. Momentum then changed when Jess Mathers (3/86) removed both Avery and Ben Mantel (0) in the 66th over to start a courageous fight back by the Cobras as they took 4/4, to have the Seagulls 7/236 in the 69th over.
The leg-spin of Dylan Cuthbertson (4/37) looked shaky early in his spell but he settled quickly into his rhythm and played a key role in the latter stages of the innings.
The Seagulls would have snapped up their 266 score-line before play, but would have been disappointed they didn’t capitalise on such a great start.
Hussey’s invaluable knock was made to look to even more valuable as the Seagulls lost 7/34 to finish its innings.
The Cobras brave fight back meant it was still game-on heading into day two on Sunday.
SUNDAY – The premiership decider
Already behind the eight-ball, Merinda Park’s hopes suffered a major setback when regular opener Matt Grayson strained his back, in a fielding drill, just before play.
Chris Smith (2) filled the breach but, not much batting time, he edged to Hussey to give Hamill the first of a five wicket grand final haul.
Hamill’s unerring accuracy and ability to move the ball just that little bit, off a good length, proved a handful early and would prove to be a major headache later in the day.
In the meantime, Andrew Martin (48) joined Daniel McCalman (20) and the pair dug in for a fight.
Martin appears laconic at the crease but his determination shone through as he and McCalman withstood some quality bowling from Hamill and O’Hare (2/44) to take the score to 1/48.
The Cobras were always going to need wickets in hand to challenge but the loss of danger men McCalman, Jess Mathers (19) and Glen Ward (6), all prior to tea, and all off the bowling of Avery (2/37) and Ash Adams (1/18), signalled the beginning of the end. Martin and Cuthbertson (30) were the not out batsmen at tea.
The Seagulls’ wings, and gums, were flapping and they lifted an already high standard to new levels after the adjournment.
Hamill was ferocious as he peppered Cuthbertson with a short pitched assault that had the desired effect, unsettling his target and slowing down the run-rate.
The pressure was building… something had to give… something had to break.
Martin cracked first, his patient vigil ended uncharacteristically when he holed out to Ash Adams, off Hamill, before Anthony Craddock (0) top-edged O’Hare to a joyous Lukas Hoogenboom (0/15) at mid-on, to make the score 6/124.
Excitement levels reached fever pitch when Cuthbertson, the Cobras last live hope, hit O’Hare to Sutton, then Adam Newstead (0) swung wildly at Hamill, slicing to Brenton Adams in the gully, 8/145.
Grayson (9), who had dropped down the order to eight, then edged Hamill to Hussey and the Seagulls were on the verge of fulfilling their dreams… and destinies.
Quite fittingly, it was Hamill who started wild on-field celebrations when he had Cobras’ skipper Jamie Smith (6) caught by Ben Mantel in the covers.
Mantel was swamped, the party was localised, but the relief and satisfaction from everyone involved at the Tooradin Cricket Club was everywhere to be seen.
A magical scene for the Seagulls… well deserved champions of West Gippsland Premier Division cricket for season 2012/13.
