Albany and Districts Cricket Association claim senior country week A-section glory in gripping grand final

It took guts and determination for Albany and Districts Cricket Association to get their Boan Cup redemption in the senior country week A-section grand final — and they had every bit of both. Following last year’s disappointment against Bunbury and Districts, ADCA seized the opportunity to rectify their past blunder with a gripping seven-run triumph over Eastern Goldfields Cricket Association at College Park on Friday — a match that will be etched in recent memory as one of the most thrilling contests. With 10 overs to go, Eastern Goldfields were just 56 runs shy of the Whalers’ first innings total of 263 with six wickets in hand and Graham Kennedy — with a century to his name — at the crease. Kennedy scored 109 runs from 135 balls, including 10 fours and five sixes, in an innings that looked destined to be match-defining. Whalers’ skipper Coen Marwick turned to his English counterparts Joe Stanley and Rhys Lewis to spin them to victory. Stanley backed up his superb first-innings knock of 82 with a herculean effort with the ball, bowling 23 overs on the trot and claiming a crucial five-wicket haul. After scoring a gritty 47, Lewis overcame cramping late in the day to claim the decisive wicket of Kennedy, while Stanley continued to pile on the pressure with tight bowling. As the required run rate climbed, one by one Lewis and Stanley found a breakthrough as their bowling suffocated EGCA’s batters. With 16 runs required off the last over, Stanley was swept for four off the first delivery but bounced back to claim the final two wickets and secure the premiership. He ended with 5-79 from 23 overs while Lewis backed him up at the other end with 2-60 off 17. The in-form Bevan Bennell scored a patient 37 with Judd Kelman (24) and skipper Nick Willis (22) the other key contributors for EGCA. Earlier, the Whalers won the toss and elected to bat and after losing openers Lincoln Joy and Ted Bachelor (both 5) and Marwick (32) in quick succession they were in trouble at 3-62. Heroes with the ball Stanley and Lewis ensured the Whalers did not relive last year’s demise, forging a crucial 111-run partnership. EGCA’s Blake Willis starred with the ball claiming both ADCA’s openers and ripping through the middle order to close out the innings and finish with a five-fer. He finished with figures of 5-104 from 21 overs, while fellow opener Damion Williams took 2-54. Seb Stanton — one of Blake Willis’ scalps — scored a quick-fire 32, while Patrick Butler blazed an unbeaten 30 from 27 balls to finish the innings. Kennedy sparked controversy after clinching player of the match for his century and one-fer, ahead of Stanley, who claimed a five-wicket haul and scored 82 runs. Bennell was awarded the Barry Shepherd medal for the best player of the tournament after scoring 417 runs at an average of 139, including three centuries. ADCA booked their spot in the decider after trouncing Geraldton Cricket Association by eight wickets at Charles Veryard on Thursday thanks to early bowling heroics from Englishman Sam Keeling-Wright. The lethal paceman tore through GCA’s top order, claiming their first four wickets before they were skittled for 105 in the 49th over. GCA Henry Anderson provided some respite scoring an unbeaten 44 but ran out of batting partners as Stanley and Butler each claimed a three-fer. Lincoln Joy was at his devastating best scoring a run-a-ball 71 before being dismissed as the Whalers chased the score two down in the 25th over.