BDCA men’s first-grade: Leschenault end Marist’s premiership defence with 120-run elimination final win

Leschenault have secured their spot in the Bunbury & Districts Cricket Association men’s first-grade preliminary final in dominant fashion, ending Marist’s premiership defence with a 120-run elimination final trouncing at Forrest Park on Saturday. In a near 200-run turnaround from the meeting of the two teams at the same venue two weekends ago, the visitors defended their strong score of 5-231 by bowling the hosts out for 111 inside 36 overs. Batting first, the Green Caps‘ innings was built on an even spread of contributors, with top-scorer Matt Fink (65 from 86 deliveries) receiving good support from captain Tyne Dodds (47 from 79 balls), Nico Le Roux (34 from 48 balls) and Justin Woods (34 from 53 balls). Brayden Clarke continued his strong season with the ball for the Blues, moving into sole possession of the competition’s leading wicket-taker mantle with his 3-27 from 10 overs. Medium pacer Angus Orchison (4-23 from 7.3 overs) was the destroyer for Leschenault, grabbing the big wicket of Hayden Slodecki (24 from 34 deliveries) by drawing an edge behind before skidding a ball through Clarke’s defences. In an encapsulation of the Blues’ day, Shawn Gillies — who made a brilliant 97 in the round 13 clash — could only hit a Le Roux (2-12 from six overs) long hop to Jacob Templeton on the leg side boundary, departing for 19 from 52 balls. The veteran’s departure came in a collapse of 6-28 that ended their season.