Mt Barker claim first piece of silverware since joining the Albany and Districts Cricket Association in 2017

Mt Barker have won their first piece of A-grade silverware since joining the Albany and Districts Cricket Association in 2017, coasting to victory in the Twenty20 grand final against Manypeaks on Sunday afternoon. The Bulls officially secured their first title with a dominant nine-wicket win, recovering from a loss to the same opponent in a 50-over fixture the previous day. Peaks were restricted to 108 batting first before the Bulls comfortably chased the total down in the 15th over, for the loss of only one wicket at Turf North. Bulls captain Jeremy Wood starred with three wickets and an unbeaten 42. “There is quite a few of us that have been there from the start and we have always been chasing success, it’s why we play,” he said. “Being new to the competition, we have only been in four years, so to get that first bit of silverware is massive for the club. “We came into the game rating Manypeaks, they beat us pretty comprehensively (on Saturday) and we knew we had to put in a really good performance against them because I really rate their side. “We came in and did the basics really well and that helped us get over the line.” Chasing 109 for victory, opener Alex Fergie was the only wicket to fall after he was dismissed by a brilliant diving catch at backward point from Nathan Poole. However that would be Peaks’ only joy as experienced left-hander Neil Ferreira and Wood controlled the run chase from there with a superb 90-run partnership. That pair worked the ball around well and scored at nine runs an over to chase down the total with ease. Wood was superb with the bat smashing four boundaries in his first nine scoring shots. Ferreira was just as valuable with 44 not out from 50 balls. Peaks scored at six runs per over in the first six but their innings fell away in the middle stages. Openers Dan Rees and Regan Poett combined for 25 runs before Rees (16) was bowled by Wood and Poett (8) followed soon after after he was brilliantly run out by Jarrad Gardner at cover. Seb Stanton (26 runs from 24 balls) and Poole (26 from 28) shared in a 49-run stand but their dismissals came at the wrong time. The Bulls restricted Peaks to 42 runs in the final 10 overs as they reached 8-108. Wood claimed 3-25 to be the pick of the bowlers while Gardner (1-16) and Noah Middleton (1-13) were also big contributors. Peaks captain Aran Tilbury said the Bulls were too strong on the day. “They bowled well and tied us up, we started well and got to about that 75 and we had a bit of dull patch and probably didn’t make enough really on that deck but they batted really well,” he said. “Jez and Neil took over and were very smart, knocking it around and when the boundary ball came they made sure they got it and just worked the singles around.” The decider was rescheduled after it was initially washed out last month.