UGSCA 2023-24: Wandering enter qualifying final in winning form, Towns secure finals double chance

Wandering will take winning momentum into the 2023-24 Upper Great Southern Cricket Association A-grade finals series, on the back a strong result against Cuballing in round 15 on Saturday. A six-wicket win inside 35 overs helped Wandering finish the regular season with nine victories and eight points clear on top of the ladder. Cuballing set Wandering 108 to win in Cuballing but the ladder leaders romped to a big win after superb displays with the bat from Blake Egerton-Warburton and Lewis Parsons and a merciless performance with the ball from captain Bailey Parsons. The home side won the toss where Andrew Harris and Johannes De bruyn made a strong start, putting on 44 runs for the opening wicket. Tight bowling from the visitors meant the runs came slow but steady for Cuballing and with the first ball of his second over Bailey Parsons bowled Harris for 23. Bailey Parsons then trapped De bruyn (20) LBW to leave the home side 2-47. Grady Francis added an important 20 from 35 balls but Bailey Parsons then claimed Blair Forrest (9) and Grady Franics in quick succession. When Lewis Parsons snared David Lange for a duck, Cuballing slipped to 5-75 and they never recovered. No other batter reached double figures as Cuballing were bowled out for 107 in the 44th over. Bailey Parsons produced a devestating spell of 4-22 from 10 overs while Brock Pockran claimed 2-6. Blake Egerton-Warburton and Jacob Schorer opened for Wandering after the break and the pair notched 24 runs before Jacob Schorer (18) was caught by Forrest off the bowling of Grady Francis. Ben Sherry fell next, bowled by Brock Francis for six and Troy Egerton-Warburton (0) faced three deliveries before being caught by Forrest off a delivery from Dewing. Wandering were in all sorts of trouble at 4-42 after Bailey Parsons became the second scalp for Dewing, dismissed for just one. Lewis Parsons and Blake Egerton-Warburton put their heads down to combine for a much-needed parternship and a four from Lewis Parsons secured victory in 32.1 overs. Blake Egerton-Warburton made 43 not out and found a strong partner in Lewis Parsons (42no). Best with the ball for Cuballing was Dewing who returned 2-16 off six overs, while Forrest finished with three catches as keeper. In the other A-grade fixture, Towns scored a dominant win over Williams at Williams to secure second place and a finals double chance. After winning the toss and electing to bat Williams struggled as Towns’ bowlers Liam Sweeney and Mitchell Ackland claimed the valuable wickets of Garth Nottle (18) and Rodney Ford (27) early on. The home side struggled for fluency and finished 7-121 from 45 overs on the back of Rodney Ford’s effort and a late 24 runs from Michael Foreman. The loss of Perrin Quartermaine (24) and James Nicholson (18) failed to rattle Towns and as an unbeaten 42 from big hitter Arron Quartermaine and 27 not out from Nick Corner guided the visitors to an eight-wicket win in the 35th over. The UGSCA A-grade finals start on Saturday with Wandering hosting Towns in the qualifying final, the winner progressing straight into the grand final on March 16. Williams will be at home against Cuballing in the elimination final on Saturday, where the winner will move through to Sunday’s preliminary final.