Wanderers continue success

Wanderers Cricket Club have capped off a successful 2017/18 season in the Port Hedland Cricket Association by winning the senior grade grand final to match their Twenty20 final win before Christmas.

Port Hedland CC came into the final on the back of a dominant win in the semifinal over Mines but they were no match for this season’s pre-eminent team.

In the absence of their captain Glenn Robertson, Jarrad O’Dea won the toss and elected to bat first under clear blue skies.

Wanderers skipper Josh Standen threw the ball to veteran Wayne Stokes for the opening over, and pulled a second surprise by asking Nick Patterson to bowl the second. Neither player are noted frontline bowlers, but Standen had his tactics in place for the final.

Port’s openers saw off this unorthodox beginning but were soon in trouble in the fourth over when off-spinning batsman David Thomason took over from Patterson and was able to entice Arron Hamilton down the track only to be beaten on flight and well stumped by Chris Wichura.

Standen continued to rotate his bowling line-up with Martin Ross and Ryan Steel each claiming the next two wickets — Steel claiming the potentially dangerous Sam Mason who skied a ball in front of square leg for Andy McNaboe to hold on to the catch and be mobbed by his jubilant teammates.

When Standen himself took the ball from his favourite southern end, the Port line-up collapsed, losing their final six wickets for just six runs. At the end of the carnage, Port were all out for 44 in the 23rd over, with 14 wide deliveries the highest contribution and Standen finishing with four wickets for just one run from four overs.

In typical Port never-say-die manner, the pressure with the ball was on the Wanderers chase from the opening two overs when O’Dea accounted for Stokes in his opening over and Jarred Ams claimed Richie Douglas for nought when keeper Kobus Wessels dragged down a splendid catch high over his head, leaving the green machine at 2/15 when Thomason joined prolific opener Michael Mobilia at the crease.

Thirty-four balls later it was all over with Wanderers claiming the senior grade trophy by eight wickets. Standen’s bowling display was adjudged as the key factor to the Wanderers’ win and he was duly named player of the match.

All players now will have a month away from training and playing and come together again on March 24 for the awards presentation evening.