General News
16 March, 2020
Twice as sweet for Pomborneit
A STRONG core group of cricketers has been behind Pomborneit’s ascension to back-to-back South West Cricket flags according to two-time premiership skipper Grant Place.
A STRONG core group of cricketers has been behind Pomborneit’s ascension to back-to-back South West Cricket flags according to two-time premiership skipper Grant Place.
The Bulls dismantled Camperdown in stunning fashion at S.A. Wright Oval to land what was the 24th (including one Twenty20) premiership of their history.
Place said he was thrilled to lead his club to a second successive premiership.
“It’s a great effort,” he said.
“I think with the core group of blokes we’ve managed to get together this year and last year that when some guys miss out some weeks, the other guys are picking up the pieces down the order.
“Everyone’s chipped in at some stage this year or last year, it’s been a pretty even performance throughout the whole list.”
The Bulls made amends for a disappointing batting performance last weekend as they set Camperdown a score of 182 for victory.
Dave Murphy (41), Place (39), Lahiru Fernando (27) and Tim Place (25) laid the foundations and had Pomborneit well primed at 5/173 before the Lakers fought back late in the innings.
Simon Richardson (4/30) and Kasun Niranjana (3/18) claimed the last five wickets for just nine runs, with the pair capitalising on the earlier work of Shaluka Silva (2/32).
In reply, Camperdown made a fast start through Niranjana (13) and McLaughlin (15), with the pair pushing the scoreboard to 0/28 without loss before disaster struck in the fourth over.
Man of the match Clinton Place (4/18) exerted his influence on the contest, claiming the wickets of both McLaughlin and Niranjana in the space of five balls.
He dismissed Lakers captain Steven Fisher for a golden duck on his sixth before Brad Hillman (1/22) cleaned up Harry Sumner (zero) four balls later.
More pain was added to Camperdown’s innings, with Jordan Riches (zero) then falling in Clinton Place’s next over as the Lakers slumped to 5/29.
The match was then all one way traffic from that point, with the Bulls eventually storming to victory via Fernando (4/27) and Tharaka Sendanayake (1/17).
The pair took the remaining five wickets despite some resistance from Silva (27), Henry Moyle (nine) and Richardson (eight).
Grant Place said his brother’s over proved decisive in the contest’s result, but he credited the Bulls for their most even performance of the season.
“I think today (Saturday) was as even as a performance we’ve put in,” he said.
“I think we posted a good score and bowled really well at the start and took wickets in clumps and put them under pressure right at the start which was good.
“Obviously posting a decent score (was pretty decisive) but once I think Clinton took three wickets in the one over, it was probably hard going for them to build another partnership and stay up at the run rate to be a chance.
“That probably broke their back in one fell swoop.”
Place said his side was relieved to win another premiership after the association experienced a stop-start year.
He said the nature of the season made every win vital for his club, but added he never felt the Bulls were certainties to make the grand final.
“It felt like a long year with just washout after washout and inconsistent play but we still managed to win enough games and finish on top,” he said.
“I thought we had a good enough side to finish high up on the ladder, but this last week has shown that you’re never a certainty with the way our finals series is shaped to even make the granny, let alone win it.
“We knew we just had to win enough games to make the four and just hoped we played good enough cricket to get it done in the last two games of the year.”
Place said the players celebrated their win the club’s division three side and supporters, over the weekend
He said it was a great effort by the club to win two premierships on the one day, which he said was believed to be the first time ever in Pomborneit’s history.
