Sport
18 March, 2025
Colts in grand final, defeat Crows by 89 runs
Colts Phelans has avenged their semi-final loss last season, qualifying for their second grand final this season by defeating Beaufort by 89 runs.
After winning the toss, the Colts elected to bat first on their home deck, allowing openers Rhys Wagstaff and Harrison Kurzke to get stuck in immediately.
Determined to defeat the Colts at the fourth time of asking, Jayden Scotland got the Crows off to a blinding start when Wagstaff was caught behind by Charlie Dyer for naught on the second ball of the innings.
Kurzke and the next man Charlie Scorer were keen to replicate their 60-run partnership against Beaufort in round 13, but Scotland struck again, running out Kurzke for eight.
Max Jackson joined Scorer in the middle with Beaufort taking the early advantage at 2/24.
The English duo turned the tide of the contest over the next 34 overs, providing consistent run-scoring while the Crows were unable to convert their chances.
Their 87-run stand came to an end when Jackson was caught by Joe Kingsbury off the bowling of Nicholas Cooper after a splendid 57.
The breakthrough created a chance for the Crows to steal back momentum, and spinners Tom Alexander and Lachlan Oddie grabbed that chance for Beaufort.
It was Alexander who got the key wicket of Scorer for 46 when he was caught by David Kiely.
Alexander also made his impact felt in the field, catching Regan Goundry for two off an Oddie delivery, then Wayne Stubbings was removed in the same fashion as Goundry for 14, caught Alexander, bowled Oddie.
After being in a commanding position at 2/111, the Colts were now at 6/143 with Rhys Egan and Ben Evans at the crease.
Fresh off their 78-run partnership against Beaufort a fortnight ago, Egan and Evans proved to be a thorn in Beaufort’s side once again with a 50-run stand.
Oddie ended the partnership, bowling Evans for 33 as the Colts now sat at 7/193.
Egan and Luke Tatchell would put the finishing touches on the Colts’ innings, ending unbeaten on 33 and six respectively, as the hosts concluded on 7/221.
Lachlan Oddie was the only Beaufort bowler to take multiple wickets, finishing on 3/39 after 19 overs.
Openers Kriss Ellis and Joshua Lofts were tasked with starting Beaufort’s run chase on the right track on Sunday.
In overcast conditions, they navigated the first 16 overs without a hitch, with the Crows sitting at 0/35.
However, the next four overs would change the complexion of the match in the Colts’ favour.
Immediately after hitting a four, Ellis was dismissed by Nick Henderson after looking strong for his 27.
Henderson was at it again in his next over, removing fellow opener Lofts for 12 after he was caught by Jackson.
Five balls later, Dayne Baker bowled the big wicket of Oddie for a duck, sending Beaufort spiralling at 3/41.
Alexander and Cooper tried to stage a comeback for the Crows, but Baker soon forced them through the doorway to departure.
Cooper was next to go, deemed out LBW for 11 at the hands of Baker and, Alexander soon followed, bowled by Baker for 11 to leave Beaufort teetering at 5/65.
That brought Kingsbury and Kiely to the middle, with Kingsbury looking to be in fine touch with the bat as soon as he reached the middle.
However, the Colts were able to pick off his partners, with Jackson getting in on the act by bowling Kiely for naught after he navigated 18 balls.
The next man in Dyer was determined to bring the fight to the Colts alongside Kingsbury, with the pair combining to add 39 runs to the total before Baker claimed his fourth wicket, trapping Dyer in front for an LBW after he made 12.
With Beaufort on their last legs at 7/127, the Colts showed surgical precision in dissecting the tail.
Scorer grabbed his first wicket of the day by bowling Richard Stokes for four in the 49th over.
It would be over four balls later, as Baker grabbed back-to-back wickets to start the 50th over, first ending Kingsbury’s valiant 48 when he was caught by Evans, and then bowling Pymer for a golden duck to seal the match for the Colts.
That gave Baker his sixth wicket of the match, as he finished with figures of 6/30 from 14.2 overs.