Girgarre celebrates a wicket in the Goulburn Murray Cricket C-grade grand final. Photos: Jordan Townrow.
Girgarre has pulled off an impressive feat by coming from fourth place in Goulburn Murray Cricket C-grade to take out the Gus Underwood Shield, beating Echuca by eight wickets in the grand final.
Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content
The Kangaroos elected to bowl first, and it proved a wise decision, with Echuca’s innings getting off to a very slow and shaky start, making just 10 runs across its first 10 overs and losing a wicket in the eighth when Timothy Moodie fell.
A second wicket came in the 13th over and by the end of the 15th, Echuca was 3-17.
Charles Lowe takes a catch.
The next four dismissals almost came at one per over as Girgarre continued its siege on the middle order.
At 7-39 midway through the 22nd over, it became a case of how quickly the innings would end. Echuca at least stuck out a further 13 overs to double its total.
But it ended up making its lowest score of the season when batting first, all bowled out for 78.
Girgarre’s excellent bowling display had multiple meaningful contributors, with Jake Tooley (3-12) and John Melhuish (3-20) leading the way, supported by Oscar McKeown (2-10).
Melhuish added to his bowling performance by taking two catches in the field, with this being the method of dismissal for eight of the wickets.
John Melhuish releases a bowl.
The only score of note for Echuca came from Niroshana Premachandra, who made 25 off 35 balls to lead the order and be one of only two batters to reach double digits.
In reply, Girgarre made relative ease of the run chase, only dropping the wickets of captain Bille Gahan (19) and Lachlan Werner (22).
Simon Tomasini and vice-captain Rhys Febey saw out the innings, with Febey securing the C-grade title with a four in the 18th over.
Brodie Mulcahy steams in for the delivery.
The win capped an unlikely premiership tilt for Girgarre, who not only went into the finals as the lowest ranked team but won the title after missing the post-season in each of the past two seasons.
In fact, something of a trend has been created in the C-grade shield, as Kyabram Fire Brigade also won the premiership from fourth last season.
