Minor premier Mount Lofty won a thrilling qualifying final against Stirling at Heathfield on Saturday, and will now host the Hills Cricket Association (HCA) Grand Final on the 25th of March. Needing two runs to win from the final ball of the match, Connor Milde struck a boundary to send the Redcaps straight through to the decider. Milde has history with hitting the winning runs in finals, having also got his previous club Aldgate over the line in the 2018/19 Grand Final off the last ball of the match. Earlier, Stirling batted first and were off to a disastrous start with opening pair Daniel Gonzalez (4) and Jack Read (0) back in the pavilion with the score at 2/9. The Eagles recovered to reach 5/114 with five overs remaining and a score of 150+ was a possibility with a strong finish. However, it wasn’t to be as the Redcaps claimed the last 5/16 as Stirling were bowled out in the 45th over for 130. Harrison Webb was the standout batsman for the Eagles with 46 not out (66 balls), while skipper Jack Pick made 28 (73 balls). Five Mount Lofty bowlers took wickets with Adam Carthew the best with 3/13 (8.3). Milde (3/48) and Peter Giannes (2/17) were the other multiple wicket takers. Mount Lofty also started their innings poorly with the dangerous Josh Healey (0) and veteran opener Nick Justice (8) dismissed and the score at 2/13. Redcaps skipper Jordan Neis Beer (19) was joined by Adam Carthew in a 44-run third wicket stand and Ryan Pistola (13) then put on 30 runs for the fourth wicket with Carthew. With 11 overs remaining, Mount Lofty required 43 runs to win as Milde joined Carthew. They added a further 34 runs before Carthew went for a determined 47 (103 balls). The equation was now down to nine runs required from 16 balls with Tim Noble at the crease with Milde. Milde dug deep to hit the winning runs and finish with a match-winning 36 not out from 40 balls (4 x 4’s, 1 x 6). Ethan Penck (2/32), Chris Shaw (1/24) and Pick (1/26) were the wicket takers for the Eagles.

Aldgate brought an end to Meadows’ season with a comfortable 81-run victory in the elimination final at Meadows. It also brought an end to a remarkable run of Grand Final appearances for the Bulldogs, who had played in the previous 13 deciders (no game in 2019/20 due to COVID). On Saturday, Aldgate batted first and posted a competitive total of 6/189 from their 45 overs. The ‘Gaters’ innings was set up by a decisive 104-run fourth wicket union between skipper Jake Turnbull and Will Quigley-Smith. The pair came together with Aldgate in trouble at 3/51 in the 15th over, and weren’t separated until Turnbull went for 72 (103 balls) in the 40th over. Quigley-Smith finished with 46 not out (87 balls), while opening batsman Shaun Atkins made 34 (41 balls). Meadows opening bowlers Rohan Reid (2/42) and Chad Dawe (2/45) were the multiple wicket takers for Meadows. The Bulldogs were never really in the run chase with Haydn Reid (34 not out) the only batsman to pass 20 with the home side restricted to 9/108 from their 45 overs. Luke Smet (2/17) and Matt Lennon (2/12) were the multiple wicket takers for the ‘Gaters’, while Frank Clements got the key wicket of Rohan Reid on his way to figures of 1/2 from six overs. 

Preliminary Final (18/3/23)

Stirling v Aldgate(12.30pm @ Stirling)