Game 5
Hutt River Dedication 5/101 def. Kangarilla 97
Hutt River went into the final day of Willowfest 2014 needing a win to take home the title. Whilst the team was quietly confident, final day performances from previous years lingered in everyone's memories, bringing more than a few nerves.
For the fifth time this week, Hutt River bowled first. After an early wicket, the Kangarilla batsmen started to look dangerous, moving quickly to 1/43. At this point, however, Haydn Falconer took the ball, ripping through the Kangarilla top order with his strange mix of pace and 'spin.' The Hutt River catching was impeccable, with two screamers to Joel McMahon at gully and a rare successful catch to Joel Thomas highlighting a strong catching performance. By the time Falconer finished his spell with 4/20, the Kangarilla innings was looking shaky.
Tensions in the Dedication camp threatened to explode when Jake Sluiter let the ball roll through his legs on the boundary off the bowling off arch nemesis Phil Barker, but Barker was too focused on the victory to let his anger boil over. The innings was finished off by wicket keeper Jarryd Mills (2/17) and Joel Thomas (2/0), with Thomas taking the last wicket by bowling full pace at a child.
The Hutt River run chase started off in the worst possible way, with Jarryd Mills dismissed on the first ball of the innings. Mills' dismissal was followed quickly by that of Tyler Hankinson for just one run. When Joel McMahon and Jake Sluiter were both dismissed with the score on 25, Dedication fans feared a repeat of the teams' collapses from previous years.
Bill Barber and Jason Harris were building a solid partnership for the fifth wicket, when Harris lobbed a catch straight to the fielder at mid on. Much to the relief of the Dedication camp, the catch was dropped, and Harris went on to make a determined 36. He was dismissed with the score on 89, but by that time he and Barber had done their jobs. Haydn Falconer came in for a quick seven runs, leaving Bill Barber to hit a boundary to bring up the win.
For the fifth time this week, Hutt River bowled first. After an early wicket, the Kangarilla batsmen started to look dangerous, moving quickly to 1/43. At this point, however, Haydn Falconer took the ball, ripping through the Kangarilla top order with his strange mix of pace and 'spin.' The Hutt River catching was impeccable, with two screamers to Joel McMahon at gully and a rare successful catch to Joel Thomas highlighting a strong catching performance. By the time Falconer finished his spell with 4/20, the Kangarilla innings was looking shaky.
Tensions in the Dedication camp threatened to explode when Jake Sluiter let the ball roll through his legs on the boundary off the bowling off arch nemesis Phil Barker, but Barker was too focused on the victory to let his anger boil over. The innings was finished off by wicket keeper Jarryd Mills (2/17) and Joel Thomas (2/0), with Thomas taking the last wicket by bowling full pace at a child.
The Hutt River run chase started off in the worst possible way, with Jarryd Mills dismissed on the first ball of the innings. Mills' dismissal was followed quickly by that of Tyler Hankinson for just one run. When Joel McMahon and Jake Sluiter were both dismissed with the score on 25, Dedication fans feared a repeat of the teams' collapses from previous years.
Bill Barber and Jason Harris were building a solid partnership for the fifth wicket, when Harris lobbed a catch straight to the fielder at mid on. Much to the relief of the Dedication camp, the catch was dropped, and Harris went on to make a determined 36. He was dismissed with the score on 89, but by that time he and Barber had done their jobs. Haydn Falconer came in for a quick seven runs, leaving Bill Barber to hit a boundary to bring up the win.