A MAN-OF-THE-MATCH performance from Matt Corben and crucial spells of bowling from Chris Martin and Stu Middleton has lifted Cavaliers to the 2013-14 Orange District Cricket Association first grade title.
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Entering the crease with his side in trouble at 5-15, Corben compiled 42 and along with Middleton’s 27 and a defiant 25 from Josh Doherty carried Cavaliers to the defendable total of 141.
Then, like trojans, Middleton and Martin bagged 4-30 and 2-26 respectively to bowl the defending ODCA premiers out for just 76, with the pair collectively bowling 45 of their side’s 55 overs in the field on Cavs’ way to a 65-run first innings triumph.
Cavaliers stand-in skipper James Ryan said it was a great win for his team, their ninth ODCA and Bathurst Orange Inter District Cricket (BOIDC) top flight crown in 12 seasons.
“The season we’ve had and for that to be the end result, it’s a great, great result,” Ryan beamed, taking the reins from the absent Richie Venner.
“The way Chris and Stu bowled, I’ve never seen a better spell of bowling. On the money every ball.
“We have had a lot of success and I think it’s been three years since we won the first grade title, for many teams that’s not very long but for us I think it’s a bit of a drought.
“This is very special.”
“We have had a lot of success and I think it’s been three years since we won the first grade title, for many teams that’s not very long but for us I think it’s a bit of a drought ... this is very special"
Early on, however, it looked anything but special.
City quicks Jackson Coote (4-31) and Andrew Rutledge (3-26) made the most of a juicy Wade Park deck to leave Cavaliers, the 2013-14 minor premiers, reeling at 5-15 just 16 overs into the final game of the 2013-14 season.
But together Corben and Middleton re-built Cavs’ innings and when Doherty chimed in with a patient innings, the maroons were back in the game with 141 on the board.
Surviving a tricky 10-over period late on day one to be 0-5 over night, Orange City’s batsmen would have been confident of chasing 141 following a huge 243-run chase against CYMS in the elimination semi-final the week prior.
However, quick thinking from Corben soon dented that belief.
With Matt Findlay and John Warrington firming at the crease, Corben effected a run out to remove the later for four, a moment Ryan says turned the game.
“When Corbs got that run out, everyone lifted ... everyone lit up. We grabbed the momentum from there and just ran with it,” Ryan said.
From that point and when Grenfell was dismissed for 12 with the score on 44, breaking the crucial second-wicket partnership between the Orange City star and Findlay, the Warriors lost 9-32 to be dismissed for 76.
After scoring more than half his side’s runs with a knock of 39, a disappointed Findlay backed Ryan’s thoughts on the Corben run out.
“We weren’t exactly going along well at that point but John took a tight second and Matty pulled off what was an outstanding piece of fielding for a wicketkeeper,” Findlay said.
“That probably got their backs up a bit. The pitch was getting easier at that stage and me and John had almost set ourselves really.
“We had them at 5-15 and they probably shouldn’t have gotten that many. Matty thoroughly deserved that player of the final award.
“But 140, honestly, I thought we would have done it easily.
“The experience of Chris Martin and Stu Middleton, they bowled out of their skin. It’s the best performance they’ve put in all year.”
