Almost 12 months on from finishing runner-up, a fiery bowling display helped deliver Invergordon the Cricket Shepparton Jim McGregor Shield.
Undera was left red-faced when its batting line-up was trundled out for a remarkable 50 runs in the C-grade final on Saturday.
Invergordon, spearheaded by talented quick Harley Green (4-20), gave Undera little opportunity to be in the contest as the Hawks’ bowlers wreaked havoc.
On what many described a batting friendly pitch at Kyabram Recreation Reserve, Green had Undera’s batters blinking twice as he tore through the top-order.
Green’s teammate Sean Arnold (2-23) provided quality support, along with Jesse Caldera (2-3).
Russell Sheriff tried his hardest out in the middle to weather the barrage, but it was to no avail, with Undera bowled out inside 25 overs for a miserly 50 runs.
Inver’s incredible performance at the weekend helped bury the pain of defeat from last year’s C-grade decider against Mooroopna.
“(There’s been) a couple of grand finals we probably should’ve won that we didn’t end up winning, it’s good to finally get a hold of one,” Invergordon captain Aaryn Cormican said.
“We had a pretty good year only dropping one game throughout the whole season, it’s just good to get the result in the end.
“We’ve been together for probably 10 or so years now, we’ve only got one more premiership, a D-grade premiership, to hang our mantle on, so really good to get another one under our belt.”
Invergordon enjoyed a somewhat carefree run chase, even though opener Dean Mangles departed for a duck.
Lachlan Sidebottom crunched 36 runs and was still at the crease when the winning runs were hit in the 17th over.
Cormican praised the performance of his side’s gun bowlers.
“Our bowlers have been real solid all year, Harley Green obviously taking out the medal — he was pretty damaging with the ball.”
“The bowlers set up the game, and chasing 50, it makes it easier for us (batters).”
THE GAME
Undera 50 (Russell Sheriff 18, Harley Green 4-20, Jesse Caldera 2-3, Sean Arnold 2-23) lt Invergordon 2-51 (Lachlan Sidebottom 36 not out, David Balfour 1-1)
STAR PLAYER
Harley Green (Invergordon): The pace bowler left one his best spells of the season for the match that counts. His eight overs consisted of three maidens and four wickets, three of them being bowled.