Notre Dame-St Brendan’s and Old Students are set to face off in Cricket Shepparton’s under-16 grand final after they booked their respective spots in the decider.
Old Students clinched their grand final berth with a monster 214-run win over Mooroopna on Friday, while the Tigers recorded a 45-run victory against Euroa.
The opening evening’s play of the two-day match is scheduled for Friday, however, forecast hot weather could have an impact.
The mercury is expected to climb as high as 39°C, which is hotter than Cricket Shepparton’s heat policy allows.
Old Students have been the powerhouse side in the under-16 A-grade season, earning five wins without defeat across the T20 and two-day competitions.
They will have a chance to close out a perfect unbeaten season against Notre Dame-St Brendan’s following a dominant win over Mooroopna.
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On the bounce: Mooroopna's Poppy Vandermeer plays at a short delivery. Photo by Rechelle ZammitImage 2 of 7
Full steam ahead: Central Park-St Brendan's player Tristan Murphy delivers the ball. Photo by Rechelle ZammitImage 3 of 7
Release point: Central Park-St Brendan's bowler Austen Hogeboom in action against Mooroopna. Photo by Rechelle ZammitImage 4 of 7
Eyes on the ball: Central Park-St Brendan's wicketkeeper Gus Byrne watches closely. Photo by Rechelle ZammitImage 5 of 7
In the field: Thomas Mellington from Central Park-St Brendan's gets the ball back into the middle. Photo by Rechelle ZammitImage 6 of 7
On the attack: Jayden Thorne in action for Central Park-St Brendan's. Photo by Rechelle ZammitImage 7 of 7
Swinging away: Mooroopna batter Ayden Smith. Photo by Rechelle ZammitBatting first, Old Students made an eye-popping total of 7-291.
Opener Samuel O’Brien (43) and first drop Oscar Lambourn (40) helped Students reach 3-118 inside 15 overs.
They were both out caught, but Ashton Young and Nate Earl teamed up to keep the scoreboard well and truly ticking over.
Young and Earl put together a stellar 72-run fifth-wicket partnership, with each of them departing the field without being dismissed.
Young made 60 runs from 55 balls, while Earl scored 61 from the same number of deliveries.
A further 79 runs brought Students’ total to 7-291 from 45 overs, with Mooroopna needing a run chase for the ages to snatch victory.
Alas, it did not happen.
After dominating with the bat, Old Students then blitzed the Cats with the ball as Mooroopna was all out for 77.
Six Students bowlers claimed a wicket, with Darcy Smyth the pick of the bunch, taking 3-11.
Old Students’ grand final opponent, Notre Dame-St Brendan’s, punched its ticket to the grand final after defeating Euroa in a shortened encounter.
Batting first, the Tigers’ opening three bats Ryan Ash (11), Sam Holland (17) and Rory Duffy (17) all retired after facing the maximum 20 deliveries.
Some fast scoring from Ethan Beck (27 retired not-out), Faigyn Southwell (29 retired not-out) and Liam Prior (34 retired not-out) boosted Notre Dame-St Brendan’s total to 1-181 in 25 overs.
Four Euroa batters scored double digits — Mitchell Walters (17 not-out), Kusuma Wolfenden (14 retired not-out), Oliver Wilson (24 retired not-out) and Ollie Swain (14) — but it wasn’t quite enough.
The Magpies could only get to 6-136 after 25 overs, 45 runs short of the Tigers’ total.
Max Hooper took 2-9 for Notre Dame-St Brendan’s, while three other bowlers each had one wicket.
The grand final is scheduled to be played on Friday, February 17 and 24, with play to start at 4.50pm.
Old Students have won both previous encounters against the Tigers, a 67-run victory in November and a 41-run triumph in January.
Meanwhile, the finals match-ups for the under-14 A and B-grade competitions have been locked in following the conclusion of the home and away season at the weekend.
In A-grade, Euroa will host Tatura, while Notre Dame-St Brendan’s will face off against Northerners.
Euroa ended the regular season undefeated following a tight 14-run win over Old Students on Saturday.
Northerners and Notre Dame-St Brendan’s also ended the season with victories after defeating Tatura by two wickets and Mooroopna by 50 runs.
In B-grade, top side Nagambie (8-0) will do battle against Notre Dame-St Brendan’s (4-4) and second-placed Karramomus Team Trevaskis (6-2) will go up against third-placed Mooroopna (5-4).