By JARROD POTTER
WGCA SUB-DISTRICT DIVISION
REVIEW – GRAND FINAL
IT’S been their trophy to lose for the last two months and Tooradin (243) ensured Pakenham (195) would not put their hands on it despite a rear-guard partnership from the Lions’ tail.
Kane Latham was named man of the match for his performance with both sets of gloves – batting and wicket keeping – as the highest flying Seagull in an emphatic success.
Tooradin excelled from the top of the pops as Kane Latham (65) set the stage. Latham and Aaron Creasey (34) showed the first signs of strength as Jason Fisher (3/53) and Duane Lucas (2/38) kept a rein on the Seagulls’ flight.
Latham’s tearaway innings came to an end after Lucas smashed one into his pads at 2/82, leaving Andrew Proctor (48) and Daniel Hunt (43) to join the rally.
Lions’ Jack Melbourne (4/33) made sure Hunt wouldn’t get too far off the chain and helped trigger the final fall as Tooradin succumbed after 67 overs for 243.
With nine overs left, Sam Webster (13) and Nick Close (10) held out to leave 224 runs between Pakenham premiership success and failure.
Both would fall early on the second day – victims of Hunt (2/19) – before Josh Gonzalez (35) and Jason Fisher (29) put up innings of note in a 53-run stand. Their resistance was felled and drip by drip Pakenham lurched towards the target, but wickets were definitely not in its hand as Tom Bethune (4/27) skittled Lion after Lion.
A dour partnership from Shannon Mitchell (21 not out) and Nathan Goodes (23) kept the Seagulls from taking the flag until the dying overs on Sunday with a 48-run last wicket stand.
It will go down as another year of 2nd XI domination in Sub-District and here’s hoping next year the remaining firsts in the division are able to stop the rampage of Tooradin and Pakenham, allowing some natural premiership progression from Sub-District into the second flight.
