UGSCA 2023-24: Captain Rohan Bilney powers Harrismith-Dudinin to UGSCA B-grade premiership win over Boddington

Harrismith-Dudinin staged a dramatic comeback as captain Rohan Bilney led his team to a resounding win over Boddington in the Upper Great Southern Cricket Association 2023-24 B-grade grand final. Bilney claimed man-of-the-match honours on the back of a superb display, taking two wickets and two catches in the opening innings and then making 54 runs in the chase at Harrismith Cricket Ground on Saturday. Boddington won the toss and batted, making 146 from 36.1 overs but the the home side made short work of the chase as they cruised to a five-wicket win inside 36 overs. Bilney took his first scalp in the first over dismissing Ben McCormick for two. Bilney followed up by bowling English (10) in the sixth over, leaving Boddington 2-22. Brodie Swayne and Christopher Reid slowed things down in the middle and Reid hit seven fours on his way to 42 before he was run out by David Bennier. Captain Swayne (20) was dismissed within five balls of Reid with a catch from Riley Spark but the productive partnership got Boddington to 4-79 off 20.3 overs. Blake Reynolds added three runs before being caught by Caen Taylor and Michael Cornish (12) was caught by Bilney off a delivery from Taylor. Michael Sherry then made a vital 29 from 24 balls, with five boundaries, to help his side close in on 150. Dane Angwin eventually removed Sherry and Harrismith-Dudinin wrapped up the tail quickly. Taylor led the attack with 3-27 from eight overs and was well supported by Bilney (2-15) and Angwin (2-16). Harrismith-Dudinin were in trouble early after Scott Bayley (0), Brock Pockran (six), Angwin (14) and Taylor (0) all went cheaply as Thomas Pyke proved deadly with the ball to leave the home side 4-22 inside seven overs. Bilney and Jamie Miller fought back to get Harrismith-Dudinin within striking distance of the total. After a fantastic knock, Bilney (54) was snared lbw by Michael Cornish after hitting eight fours to leave his side needing less than 20 runs to win. Miller finished unbeaten on 41 as he and Bennier (three not out) guided their side to premiership glory in 35.2 overs. Pyke was best with the ball for Boddington with 3-10 from seven overs while Michael Cornish snared 2-32.