Twenty20 A-grade | Northerners clinch elusive grand final success

By Aydin Payne

Jan 26, 2022

Northerners has prevailed by six wickets over Central Park-St Brendan’s in a roller coaster A-grade Twenty20 grand final.

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It almost had more twists and turns than an M. Night Shyamalan thriller, but this year’s contest, tasked with living up to last year’s nail-biter, delivered on the drama.

Highlights aplenty, the strong crowd at Mooroopna Recreation Reserve was handed a cracking game of cricket that went down to the final over of the match.

With six balls remaining and two runs to win, Northerners’ all-rounder Stuart Turner got a feather bottom-edge that ran down to the fine leg.

The game had it all.

Power hitting from Central Park-St Brendan’s duo Tim Kelly (45 runs) and Rhiley Lau (43) was followed by a break-out performance from Jets’ young gun Harvey Walker (4-21).

The dazzling display from the teenage off-spinner was the difference between the Tigers’ 8-145 and posting what would have been a match-winning score.

And then you had the reply from the Jets.

Enter Ben Pedretti.

The talented opener, struggling for Haisman Shield form, was judged best-on-ground thanks to his classy 56-run knock.

Teammate Tim Belford strolled out to the crease at 1-59 and departed more than 80 runs later after he wowed onlookers with a blistering 44.

Late wickets in the Jets’ run-chase — the side lost 3-14 — raised the atmosphere and tension.

Many were left asking the question whether this would be another get-out-of-jail win from a side that is accustomed to winning grand finals.

But that’s not the way the script went and after multiple unlucky finishes as the bridesmaid, the Jets finally got their hands on the silverware.

“It was a really good game of cricket but as I touched on during the presentation it’s good to finally win one,” Northerners’ captain Mitch Brett said post-match.

“I was working out before that we’ve lost three or four of these (grand finals), a few Haismans and a Twenty20 one, so it’s nice to get a little bit of silverware to come home.”

Brett, who registered 25 in the top-order alongside Pedretti, was full of praise for his side’s standout performers.

“I’m very proud of young Harvey, I threw him the ball late which is not that easy when you are a spinner,” he said.

“To get the two set batters out and then a couple more wickets and finish up with 4-20 at the back end really altered their momentum.

“I thought he was fantastic.

“Ben and Tim put on a really good partnership. Having wickets in the shed just lays the foundation, you have luxury towards the end to chase it relatively comfortably.

“Benny didn’t light the world on fire before Christmas but he’s now put in two 50s and a 40 in a Twenty20 competition so I was rapt for him.”