OMK has won the most memorable of LDCA A Grade Division One cricket grand finals in years, passing Phillip Island’s modest 171 target on Sunday at Wonthaggi just one wicket away from defeat.
And the hero of the day was OMK captain Koby Brann who produced a ‘captain’s knock’ for the ages to steer OMK home.
But really, it could have gone either way.
Phillip Island started the grand final in disastrous fashion on Saturday when they lost their two opening batsmen, Lachie Cleeland and Kurt Lane in the first two overs, with just three runs on the board.
And it was the veteran Peter Dell who combined with Travis Pickering to get OMK off to the best possible start.
However, it was just one of the twists and turns on two days of thrilling, tense cricket on the turf at the Butch West Oval in Wonthaggi.
The benchmark team of the competition in recent years, Phillip Island was down but they weren’t out and with Brodie Johnston and Daniel Mock at the crease, the Sharks looked like turning their fortunes around until Pickering struck again to claim the crucial wicket of Mock.
It triggered a run of Island wickets that showed no sign of stopping until 9th man in, Tim Niven joined Johnston and the pair set about restoring their supporters hopes.
By the time Niven was out for 37, he’d faced 146 deliveries while Johnston steadily built towards three figures at the other end.
If only they could have continued on a bit longer, Johnston might have passed the magical 100 mark, in a grand final no less, and Phillip Island might have got to 200, a reasonable score batting first in a grand final, but it wasn’t to be.
After standing up to 230 deliveries and making 83 heroic runs, Johnston was gone, caught Noel Creed and bowled Tom Wyatt and with Wyatt striking again not long after, Phillip Island’s innings was all wrapped up for 171 off 84.4 overs.
OMK’s players left the scene with a good day’s work behind them but with it all to do on Sunday.
The chase started well enough with Clayton Quaife and Zavier Lamers blunting Phillip Island’s formidable attack led by George McCausland and Tim Niven. Niven got the initial breakthrough, Lamers out for 5 off 31 deliveries but Quaife continued on and with new partner Ethan Lamers keeping the score ticking over, OMK moved into a position of strength.
It was an illusion.
More to follow
