Under 17 Girls to host Grand Final tomorrow (Friday) at Myrtle Park, Under 14 and 12 Boys to play their Grand Finals on Sunday.
Three of those sides won their respective Semi Finals to proceed to the Grand Final. The Under 12 Boys (Browne Shield) were on the wrong side of a 1 wicket thriller at Highfield Park to just miss out.
Under 17 Grand Final: RDCA v ECA
Friday 17 January 2025. 10am. Myrtle Park Balwyn: Google Map
PlayHQ GF Scorecard
Under 14 Grand Final: ECA v DDCA
Sunday 19 January 2025 10am. Zerbes Reserve East Doncaster. Google Map
Play HQ GF Scorecard
Under 12 Grand Final : SECA v ECA
Sunday 19 January 2025 10am Le Page Reserve Chetenham. Google Map
PlayHQ GF Scorecard
Under 17 Girls Jones Shield Semi Final
ECA 3-101 d AGCC 100
Lauren Soo 3/7 (8) and 33, Audrey McKinley 3/14 and 27
The Under 17 Girls outstanding VMCU campaign has been rewarded with a place in the Grand Final. The team defeated AGCC on consecutive days at Myrtle Park to win the privilege. Due to turf-ground availability the Grand Final against the top side RDCA will be played at the ECAs home ground at Myrtle Park. The match starts at 10am on Friday 17 January. Given the convenient proximity of Myrtle Park to many ECA supporters, we encourage anyone who can spare a few hours to get down to the ground to cheer our girls on.
Match Summary:
For the second time in two days, AGCC won the toss. They opted to bat first. Their openers made a postitive start posting a 34 run partnership, seeing off the ECA opening attack. But the steady and accurate combo of Lauren Soo and Reva Sharma slowed the scoring which eventually lead to wickets, with the visitors slumping to 3-43. Sensing they had AGCC on the back foot, all the bowlers kept up the pressure and restricted the visitors to 100 off their alloted 40 overs. Lauren Soo and Audrey McKinley picked up three wickets each.
The ECAs chase started with a postive 24 run partnership between Audrey McKinley and Franny Davis. When Franny was dismissed, this brought Lauren Soo to the crease where she and Audrey shared a critical 43 run partnership to effectively put AGCC out of the contest. Lauren and skipper Emily Costigan (15* )wiped out the remaining runs in the 33rd over to book their place in the Grand Final. Lauren Soo had a magnifcent match with her 3/7 and 33 double, as did Audrey McKinley with 3/14 and 27.
Under 14 Boys Allen Shield Semi Final
Lucian Bickford 5/15 Muhammad Abubakar Imran 3/16 and 28*, Arihant Kalla 41
The excellent form of the Under 14 Allen team continued with a convincing win over Mornington Peninsua at the Wilsons Road Reserve in Doncaster (on Turf). Lucian Bickford (5/15 from 8) and Muhammad Abubakar Imran 3/16 were simply too strong with the ball - giving nothing to the visitors restricting them to 128 from 37 of their 40 overs. However, in a semi final any runs on the board are good runs, and after losing skipper Shray Sahni and Sam Judd - a steadying middle order effort was required to support opener Arihant Kalla who was exellent with his 41 from 64. Muhammad Abubakar Imran (28* from 70), Jack Oborne (20 from 23) and Joshua Moore (23* from 19) provided the necessary support and ensured there would be no Semi Final jitters and overtook the target in the 36th over.
PlayHQ Semi Final Scorecard
Grand Final: Sunday 19 January 2025 at Zerbes Reserve in East Doncaster. Google Map.
Under 12 Boys Browne Plate Semi Final
Hayden Vo 49 (57) Zach Walker 29 (29) Oscar Smyth (22*) Thomas Van Den Berg 16 & 2/21
This match was a thriller and full credit to our boys who never gave up. Full credit to RDCA who pulled off a remarkable win which should hold them in good stead for the Grand Final. Congratulations to middle order bat Givan Samaraweerea who held the innings together with his 43* to see his side home.
Sent into bat, our boys got off to a positive start. Left Hander Hayden Vo (49*) was seeing them like basketballs and hitting the ball to all parts of the ground. But an ambitious call for a single saw him run out. ECA kept scoring at a good clip but were losing wickets regularly and at one stage looked like they were going to leave 10 or more overs of their 40 out on the lightening-quick Highfield Park. But a fantastic effort by number 10 and 11 - Thomas Van Den Berg 16 (33) and Oscar Smyth 22* (27) took the score to 187 before the last wicket fell in the 39th over.
In response, opener Zach Walker struck early to put the visitors on the back foot. But some good batting saw them move to 2/76. But then our boys struck back. Picking up quick wickets and effecting 3 run outs to put themselves back in the match. Thomas Van Den Berg picked up two quick wickets to have RDCA 6/93. RDCA then settled and looked to be back in control at 6/140 before our team dismissed two established batters with run outs. But in a match that could have gone either way way, it was the RDCA who got the job done and will play the Western Region in the Grand Final.
Just one last note from the author who saw this team play three times during the carnival - they had a wonderful camaradarie and were clearly enjoying the experience and had great support of the parents. Congratulations to them and a shot out to the coach Luca van der Sluys and the team managers Emily Ranasinghe and Charles Hunt. Well done everyone. You were a credit to the ECA and your respective clubs.
PlayHQ Semi Final Scorecard
Under 12 Boys Mitchell Shield Semi Final
Om Joshi 37* Ishaan Reddy Thadiparthi 30 Alexander Hardwick-Young 4/15 (5.2) Louis Stammers 2/7 (4)
Another Under 12 match of the highest calibre. ECA invited their guests to bat at the toss. ECAs bowling and fielding was excellent and kept the scoring at Ferndale Park well below par. Alexander Hardwick-Young (4/15) and Louis Stammers (2/7) accounted for the top order - but there was plenty of support from the other bowlers. Nathan Riedler picked up two wickets (both bowled) Alexander then mopped up the tail. 137 from 36 looked a bit light but this was a semi-final so it was valuable runs on the board. For RDCA, Ryleigh Schaerer with 51 from 69 was the standout.
In response, Ishar Manj (23) and Nathan Riedler (20) got the ECA off to a perfect start hitting sparkling shots all around the ground. Ishar enjoyed the back foot drives through and behind point, while Nathan hit some beautiful straight drives of the highest order. However both hit softish catches to be dismissed and when skipper Tom Forrest got out after a promising start, there was all the signs of a semi-final wobble on the cards. But a superb 37* by Om Joshi, supported by Ishaan Reddy Thadiparthi's power hitting (30 from 22), the innings was restored to order. A late flurry of wickets (two run outs) made for some nervous moments, but Om got the team over the line to book a grand final place.
PlayHQ Semi Final Scorecard
Grand Final: Sunday 19 January 2025 10am at Le Page Reserve Cheltenham. Google Map