Geraldton Bendigo Bank Cricket League preliminary: Wanderers too strong for Sportsmans, earn grand final berth

Expect the expected was the story at GBSC Park in Saturday’s Geraldton Bendigo Bank Cricket League preliminary final.

Wanderers were tipped to crush Sportsmans and qualify for the grand final against Towns, and they did just that. They had the first advantage when Kade Gillingham won the toss and batted.

Then openers Clayton Bruce-Cherry (114 off 118 balls with seven fours and five sixes) and Damien King (41) were mostly untroubled in a 159-run stand.

Bruce-Cherry was imperious, attacking loose balls and putting away good ones too. It was his sixth century in 43 innings.

King, realising his job was to endure while runs flowed at the other end, was initially circumspect but later went through the gears before being caught by Riley Barham off Jarrad Jupp (5-49).

Bruce-Cherry was out soon after, held by Josh McGlynn off Brad Roworth (2-13) but by then it was a matter of how many Wanderers would end up with off their 50 overs.

With runs from Henry Anderson (23) and a Shayne Bidwell (13 not out) cameo, the answer was 8-229. Jupp kept toiling for his first five-wicket haul.

Sportsmans lost an early wicket in the chase with McGlynn leg before to King (2-34) then James Greenlees (19) and Clint Yeates (32) added 31.

That made them a respectable 1-42 but the wheels wobbled when Greenlees was caught behind by Gillingham off King and fell off after Anderson (5-19) destroyed the middle order.

Zane Marwick (3-23) mopped up the hindmost and Sportsmans were all out for 91.

In B-grade semifinals, Dongara beat Towns by six wickets at Dongara. Towns batted first and after being 5-24 made 108 thanks to Hudson Kelly (16), Vijil Varghese (32) and Blake Plymin (19).

Greenlees (2-20) and Chris Bowran (3-19) broke through early and Clint Chivers (4-17) chimed in. Gus Spalding (39) carried his side in the chase but when out to Dan Guppy, Dongara were 4-64.

They however did not falter as Archie Bougard (18 not out) and Chivers (29 not out) got the needed runs. Gerard Marquis (2-41) was the most successful bowler.

Wanderers beat CVN at the Rec after openers Jacob Trenfield (53) and Jake Poletti (43) put on 102. Wanderers then fell away to make 9-151. Toby Johnson (3-32) and Paul Simmons (3-9) bowled well.

CVN replied with 141 with Scott Harrison (33), Courtney McLeod (21) and Tom Gray (17) making runs. Zayne Gray (4-22), Digby Williams (3-21) and Greg Patience (2-33) shared the spoils.