Barham and McKenna get firsts to finals

Geraldton advanced to the Alcohol Think Again country week cricket finals after a tense win over Bunbury on Wednesday at College Park. After losing to Albany, a win was essential. Clint Yeates won the toss and batted, and Geraldton made 157 after being 5-137. Riley Barham (54) played a fine hand, while Julian Crudeli (21) and Hudson Toomey (24) were handy. In the reply, Bunbury wilted before magnificent bowling from Crudeli (2-64 off 22 overs) and Ringo McKenna (5-47 off 20 overs) to be 7-69. Cruize Ciallcella (56) led a rally but all still seemed lost until last man Josh Topliss (17) added 44 with Ciallella to leave Bunbury needing seven to win off the last over. Tom Forsyth (3-18) rose to the challenge and bent Ciallella’s leg stump back. “McKenna bowled some unplayable balls and was phenomenal, there were times the batsmen had no idea, while Crudeli just kept going hard — I asked if he wanted a spell and he always refused,” Yeates said. The Ones’ second game against Albany at Iluka on Monday was a doleful 114-run loss. Albany’s Jeremy Wood won the toss and batted. After McKenna and Forsyth (2-48) kept runs down, they accelerated to make 7-222. Geraldton crashed to 7-33 in the chase leaving only hope rain-laden clouds would leak. Yeates (31) and Forsyth (23) got Geraldton to 108. The Seconds, contesting C-Section, missed the finals after losing to Eastern Districts at College Park. Eastern Districts made 135 with Jai Russell (6-38) again a star but credit also to Jamie McMahon (3-54) who bowled a herculean 22 overs. Geraldton replied with 121. Captain Graeme Barndon (19), Simon Evans (23) and Alex Solomon (23) made starts. The Seconds were at Des Penman Reserve against Albany (3) and were set a target of 148. Geraldton’s chase was in tatters at 3-4 then Russell (36) and Kurt Crudeli (52) added 83. There was another wobble at 6-115, but McMahon (27) and Solomon (62no) took Geraldton to 7-212.