SUPERB bowling performances from youngster Wade Enright and the experienced Dwight Kellow ensured that Wagin will host the Upper Great Southern Cricket Association grand final after they guided their side to a four-wicket victory against the Narrogin Residential College on Saturday.
On a pitch well-suited to bowling with a slow outfield, Wagin won the toss and rolled through the NRC batting line-up and looked in the box seat after dismissing them for just 57.
A top-order collapse saw Wagin in major trouble at 5/19 and 6/38.
But Kellow and captain Brenden Hall ensured Wagin passed the target in the 21st over to secure not only a win with a bonus point, but the hosting rights for the 2009/10 grand final.
Kellow was the first to break though with the ball, with Brenden Hall taking a catch in the fourth over to see Paini dismissed for one.
Shane Bliss picked up the second wicket in the next over when he clean bowled Williamson for nine to pick up his only wicket, with NRC off to a shaky start at 2/10.
The next pair looked to establish a partnership and survived well for the next six overs, posting 13 runs in the process, before Kellow again stifled the rebuilding process.
The 30-year-old claimed the wickets of James and Cornish with consecutive deliveries, then followed up with the wicket of Chapman in his next over and when Wade Enright took his first wicket in the next over of the innings, NRC had lost 4/2 to be left reeling at 6/25.
Enright then continued the misery for NRC as he ended Ferguson’s stoic 48-ball stay at the crease when he bowled the opener for four, before Cayley and Angwin looked to step up the run rate.
Cayley took a liking to the bowling of Reece Taylor, hitting 12 runs from his first over and combining with Angwin to take 26 runs from three overs leading up to drinks to regain some ascendency from Wagin.
But Enright struck at the right time, with Cayley trying to take him over mid-wicket for a boundary, Dwight Kellow was perfectly placed in the field to take the catch to dismiss Cayley for 18.
The drinks break was taken, and Enright struck again immediately after drinks with Angwin adjudged lbw for 10, then wrapped up the innings three balls later when Shane Bliss took a sharp catch to dismiss King without scoring and to hand Enright exceptional figures of 5/12 from his five overs, with NRC all out for just 57.
The chase was still going to be hard work on a difficult pitch, and the task was made no easier when Jordan Scardetta attempted a silly shot from his first ball, only to see himself clean bowled for a golden duck.
Andrew Gath looked aggressive from the outset but with the pitch not conducive to aggressive batting, it was only a matter of time before he succumbed to the bowling of Cayley for just four runs.
John Murray was the next at the crease but he joined his teammates back in the shed soon after without scoring, before Kevin Foale fell to a spectacular catch from Williamson.
When bowling hero Wade Enright was dismissed for five, Wagin were in serious trouble with the score at 5/19.
Mark Haverkort and Brenden Hall then set about the rescue mission, putting on a further 19 runs between them, before Haverkort was dismissed for 14 with Wagin still not out of the woods at 6/38.
Despite a few nervous moments, Hall and Dwight Kellow saw Wagin to the target to ensure a tight victory by just four wickets on what was an extremely tough pitch to score on.
Wade Enright was the star of the day with his 5/12, while Dwight Kellow took 4/19 with the ball.
Brenden Hall top-scored with his 17 not out, while Mark Haverkort was the only other batsman to make double figures with 14.
Wagin have now secured a home grand final and a shot at a third premiership in four years, with the match to be played at Matera Oval on Saturday, March 20, as well as continuing their undefeated run through the 2009/10 season.
Wagin’s home-and-away season finishes this weekend with a double-header, with matches against Pingelly in Wagin on Saturday, then against Wickepin in Wickepin on Sunday.
All players are urged to attend training on Thursday nights and to advise Brenden Hall of their availability for the double-header next weekend.
SCOREBOARDS
NRC
R Ferguson b W Enright 4 (48)
D Paini c B Hall b D Kellow 1 (5)
J Williamson b S Bliss 9 (7)
M James c B Hall b D Kellow 5 (16)
B Cornish b D Kellow 0 (1)
R Champman lbw D Kellow 0 (3)
J Lyneham b W Enright 0 (4)
T Cayley c D Kellow b W Enright 18 (24)
D Angwin lbw W Enright 10 (14)
T King c S Bliss b W Enright 0 (1)
B Andrews not out 1 (2)
Sundries (7w, 1lb) 8
TOTAL all out for 57
FOW: 3, 10, 23, 23, 24, 25, 30, 56, 56, 57.
Bowling: S Bliss 6-3-1-6, D Kellow 8-3-4-19, W Enright 5-1-5-12, R Taylor 2-0-0-19.
Overs: 21
WAGIN
J Scardetta b R Ferguson 0 (1)
M Haverkort c D Angwin b T Cayley 14 (45)
A Gath c D Paini b T Cayley 4 (9)
J Murray c D Paini b R Ferguson 0 (2)
K Foale c J Williamson b T Cayley 4 (8)
W Enright c&b T Cayley 5 (10)
B Hall not out 17 (33)
D Kellow not out 7 (14)
Sundries (5w, 2nb) 7
TOTAL six wickets for 58
FOW: 3, 8, 8, 13, 19, 38.
Bowling: R Ferguson 6.3-1-2-19, T Cayley 8-1-4-18, D Angwin 4-1-0-15, J Williamson 2-1-0-6.
Overs: 20.3
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