CRICKET comes to a close this weekend with Senior Grand Finals taking place across the region.<\/p>\n
The Geelong Cricket Association (GCA) and Bellarine Peninsula Cricket Association (BPCA) will hold their respective Grand Finals on Saturday and Sunday.<\/p>\n
The GCA’s top division’s decider will be a repeat of last year’s GCA1 Grand Final with North Geelong and East Belmont again showcasing the region’s best local cricketing talent.<\/p>\n
North Geelong has continued to have East Belmont’s number in Grand Final matchups, most recently defeating the Lions by 31 runs in the 2022\/23 decider and then again in the 2020\/21 decider by 78 runs.<\/p>\n
North Geelong and East Belmont will play the GCA1 Grand Final on Reynolds Oval at South Barwon Reserve starting from 11.30am on Saturday.<\/p>\n
North Geelong top bowlers\/batsmen:
\nNed Cooper, 539 runs (49.0 average) \u2013 3rd in GCA1
\nDale Kerr, 25 wickets (13.52 average) \u2013 3rd in GCA1
\nTom Mathieson, 24 wickets (14.79 average) \u2013 5th in GCA1<\/p>\n
East Belmont top bowlers\/batsmen:
\nJoshua Lacey, 545 runs (49.55 average) \u2013 2nd in GCA1
\nJack Jenkins, 27 wickets (16.15 average) \u2013 2nd in GCA1
\nJames McMahon, 22 wickets (14.05 average) \u2013 7th in GCA1<\/p>\n
Down the highway, Torquay will aim to go one step further than last season’s Grand Final loss, when it takes on St Peters at Leopold Memorial Park.<\/p>\n
Torquay denied Leopold a home Grand Final by defeating the Lions in last week’s Semi-Final, while minor premiers St Peters were too strong for Bell Post Hill.<\/p>\n
St Peters will also be in search for its second flag in three years in GCA2.<\/p>\n
St Peters top bowlers\/batsmen:
\nMatthew Sorgiovanni, 381 runs (34.64 average) \u2013 6th in GCA2
\nLuke Ford, 367 runs (40.78 average) \u2013 10th in GCA2
\nJoshua Sorgiovanni, 28 wickets (15.18 average) \u2013 2nd in GCA2<\/p>\n
Torquay top bowlers\/batsmen:
\nTom Dunn, 485 runs (44.09 average) \u2013 1st in GCA2
\nAsh Russell, 23 wickets (12.87 average) \u2013 7th in GCA2
\nGurpreet Singh, 21 wickets (16.95 average) \u2013 8th in GCA2<\/p>\n
Anglesea, the most dominant side in local cricket over the past decade, will play in its ninth BPCA A1 Grand Final in 10 years.<\/p>\n
To win its fifth consecutive premiership, the Roos will need to defeat an old foe and newly returned A1 opponents Barwon Heads at Bob Pettit Reserve in Jan Juc from 11.30am Saturday.<\/p>\n
Anglesea staved off Barrabool in the Semi-Final despite a relatively low run total of 166, knocking the Bulls over for 145.<\/p>\n
Barwon Heads’ 245-run total was enough of a buffer to get Armstrong Creek all out for 170 in the parallel Semi-Final.<\/p>\n
Anglesea top batsmen\/bowlers:
\nTyron Norman, 568 runs (47.33 average) \u2013 2nd in BPCA A1
\nBrett Venables, 331 runs (30.09 average) \u2013 11th in BPCA A1
\nDarcy Elliott, 26 wickets (13.65 average) \u2013 3rd in BPCA A1.<\/p>\n
Barwon Heads top batsmen\/bowlers:
\nMax Melzer, 371 runs (37.1 average) \u2013 9th in BPCA A1
\nDaniel Donaldson, 33 wickets (14.88 average) \u2013 Tied 1st in BPCA A1
\nSam Schaller, 21 wickets (14.67 average) \u2013 6th in BPCA A1.<\/p>\n
Collendina and Drysdale’s A2 Grand Final clash rounds out the top tier deciders with former riding a dominant bowling display to easily knock off St Leonards in the semis.<\/p>\n
Drysdale’s tail-end of the order stayed strong thanks to a strong partnership between Mitch Grinter and Tom Stewart, defeating Portarlington by just 14 runs in the second Semi-Final.<\/p>\n
Collendina and Drysdale will meet on neutral turf at Len Trewin Reserve in St Leonards.<\/p>\n
Portarlington top batsmen\/bowlers:
\nBrenton Toole, 717 runs (55.15 average) \u2013 1st in BPCA A2
\nStephen Illingworth, 357 runs (29.75 average) \u2013 10th in BPCA A2
\nStephen Illingworth, 26 wickets (12.77 average) \u2013 5th in BPCA A2<\/p>\n
Collendina top batsmen\/bowlers:
\nCorey Walter, 580 runs (58.0 average) \u2013 2nd in BPCA A2
\nPeter Angus, 27 wickets (16.41 average) \u2013 2nd in BPCA A2
\nStan Grazotis, 24 wickets (11.0 average) \u2013 7th in BPCA A2.<\/p>\n
Other Grand Finals taking starting this Saturday are:
\nGCA3: Thomson v Bell Park at Hamlyn Park (11.30am start)
\nGCA4: Lethbridge v Waurn Ponds Deakin at Grinter Reserve (12.30pm start)
\nBPCA B1: Ocean Grove v Barrabool at Armstrong Creek West Oval (11.30am start)
\nBPCA B2: Queenscliff v Wallington at Drysdale Recreation Reserve (11.30am start)
\nBPCA C1: Ocean Grove v Barrabool at Armstrong Creek East Oval (11.30am start)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
CRICKET comes to a close this weekend with Senior Grand Finals taking place across the region. The Geelong Cricket Association (GCA) and Bellarine Peninsula Cricket Association (BPCA) will hold their respective Grand Finals on Saturday and Sunday. The GCA’s top division’s decider will be a repeat of last year’s GCA1 Grand Final with North Geelong […]<\/p>\n