With rain once again soaking the fields at Butler Park, fixtures were moved to Forrest Beach where second placed Lower Herbert went down against Minor Premiers Uniteds while Northern Districts shattered a bitterly disappointed Combined Services ending a season they would like to forget.
Opener Andrew Bye (33) was solid for Lower Herbert but down the other end of the cricket pitch wickets tumbled continuously. Uniteds Kyle Chiesa 3/7 (5) and Andrew Serra 3/25 (6) did most of the damage with the ball. Lower Herbert struggling to score runs on a slow outfield with Jonte Grazioli (15) and Nathan Kemp (15) the only other batsmen to make any show of resistance. Lower Herbert eventually all out for only 93 in the 32nd over.
Lower Herbert needed early wickets to have any sort of chance and bowlers Jonte Grazioli 1/8 (7) and Jack Lahrs 2/19 (6) knocked over Uniteds big hitters for modest scores. Mitchell Seri (16) had to work hard for his runs as did Captain Callan Solari (12). No one went on to make a big score but Kyle Chiesa (11no) and Uniteds did enough to make the winning runs in the 29th over and securing the first spot in the Grand Final.
The less said about the game between Northern Districts and Combined Services the better with a seriously undermanned Combined Services embarrassed by Northern Districts bowling attack. Damian Floyd 4/2 (2) and Michael George 2/2 (2) demolishing the team for 20 runs. Peter Aranas (10) the only Combined Services batsman to reach double figures.
Without much fanfare Northern District’s openers Joseph Bonassi (20no) and Brendan Carey (9no) chased down the total in the 8th over giving them another opportunity this weekend to make the Grand Final.
This Saturday Northern Districts play Lower Herbert for the remaining Grand Final Berth. Hopefully the game will be played at Butler Park but more than likely the remainder of the Senior Fixtures will be played at Forrest Beach.