Tigers’ Tindale works his magic once again

Another stellar bowling display guided Railways to a third grand final victory over Manypeaks in four seasons, as the Tigers tore through their opponents led by man of the match Ryan Tindale on Saturday.

For the second straight grand final Tindale was recognised as man of the match, his three scalps proving crucial in the seven-wicket result as the 39-year-old secured a seventh A-grade premiership.

Tindale and Coen Marwick were both on hat-tricks in the first innings, as they made significant inroads into the Peaks batting line-up.

Coen Marwick bowled Peaks skipper Aran Tilbury and then trapped No.3 Harry Broomhall in front for a golden duck. And when Tindale nipped one back to bowl Ryan Kinnear on 1, it was big trouble for Peaks at 3-13.

Warwick Durack fell the very next ball, chipping to mid wicket to hand Tindale a second wicket as Peaks’ batting woes against the Tigers continued.

A defiant knock from Peaks opener Regan Poett was the reason Peaks didn’t crumble even more, as the right-hander played a marathon innings around the calamity at the other end.

Poett hit only one boundary in his bold innings, scoring 34 runs from 109 balls in a 136-minute stay that almost saw him carry his bat.

Englishman Dom O’Reilly added 14 down the order as Peaks scrapped their way to 83 but with more than six overs left, even his dismissal summed up his side’s afternoon.

Attempting a second run, a mid-pitch mix-up left O’Reilly and Tim Shephard standing alongside one another as keeper Aidan Dallimore whipped the bails off.

Tindale also snared Myles O’Meehan in his figures of 3-21 off 10 overs while Coen Marwick (3-15) and spearhead Nathan Crudeli (2-15) were also terrific.

The Tigers made a steady start to the run chase before the introduction of Broomhall brought about Sam Want’s demise on 11.

Needing wickets quickly, O’Reilly captured the double breakthrough his side were desperately chasing as he trapped Mark Natale (16) in front and then in the same over caught and bowled Matt Walters (4).

The Tigers were 3-43 but senior heads Crudeli and Zane Marwick steadied the ship, slowly blunting the Peaks’ momentum and then chipping away at the 40-odd runs needed to win.

Crudeli was put down a couple of times on his way to 17 not out and Zane Marwick (16 not out) hit the winning runs to deliver the Tigers a staggering sixth straight title in the 35th over.

Zane Marwick credited his bowlers, who snared 4-1 to cause real carnage at the top, in the premiership triumph which made it 13 straight wins for this season.

“Those four wickets broke the game open right at the start,” he said. “At 3-43 in our batting they were right in the contest and had their tails up too, full credit to them they fought hard.

“We didn’t have a leading runs scorer or leading wicket taker this year and that’s the reason why we’ve been so strong. It’s not just individuals, it is a full team performance.”

Tilbury said his side were again let down by their batting.

“We were behind the ball game when they have two blokes on hat-tricks,” Tilbury said. “To lose those boys so close together was a vital part of the game.

“We took it to the 35th over and for that side to make 80 in that time shows it was a good contest.

“We’ve had opportunity to be in the grand finals which is what you want, but we’ve got to lift the next step to win one.”