BARNSTORMING: Louis Kostaglou is clean bowled by Barney Davis in the final round of the ODCA first grade season. Kinross won by 107 runs. Photo: LUKE SCHUYLER 0309lskniross2
KINROSS coach Andrew Litchfield is hopeful his side’s strong finish to the 2012-13 Orange District Cricket Association first grade season will help the team excel at the business end of its school cricket campaign this month.
Kinross dominated its final round match-up with a depleted Centrals line-up, belting 4-202 before rolling the defending premiers for just 95 in a shortened final-round fixture thanks to yesterday’s junior Mitchell grand finals.
The 107-run win - one of the biggest the students have completed in the ODCA top grade - is the perfect preparation for Kinross’s tit at the Douglas Shield, with the final to be played next Monday.
Litchfield said he was pleased to see the boys enjoying themselves at the end of the year.
“It’s a good boost for us at the end of the season,” Litchfield said.
“Hopefully it all goes well for us for our school games. It was nice to see some smiles on faces out there.”
The same smiles couldn’t been seen on the faces of the Centrals players.
Limping through its title defence the entire season, Centrals lucked out in the final round as Kinross made the most of batting first with Charlie Litchfield (54) and Louie Kostoglou (40) getting through a tricky period facing the new ball.
The two openers put on 84 for the first wicket at a steady rate, but it wasn’t until Nick Lukins (44 not out) and Nick Shillington (24no) came to the crease did Kinross look like surpassing 200.
Lukins and Shillington put on 64 for the fifth wicket, including 59 in the final five overs.
In reply, Centrals never really got going with the bat.
Grant Selwood (23) and skipper Mick Walker (19) looked good but eventually fell as the task became too great.
All of Kinross’s bowlers performed, with Will Olsen (2-7), Sam Nicholls (2-9) and Shillington (2-10) shining.
Walker said it was just one of those days for Centrals, playing without front-line bowlers Dan Sandford, Mark Wiegold and Jarrod Simpson.
“A lot of catches just went over the top of the fielder, they did that all innings and then we lost Steve [O’Donnell] first ball. Not a lot of luck went our way,” Walker said, with his side’s year now over.
Still, you make your own luck in cricket and Litchfield was extremely happy with the way his side capitalised on theirs.
“A few times we’ve probably looked like getting a score like that but collapsed,” Litchfield said.
“Their bowling attack didn’t resemble anything like it should but we’ve still got to get the runs. We’ve very happy with that. We bowled well and caught well too.”