Wanderers dispatch Chapman Valley-Northampton to book place in Geraldton men’s cricket final against Towns

Wanderers are in the Geraldton Bendigo Bank Cricket League grand final after a comfortable preliminary final win on Saturday. They beat Chapman Valley-Northampton on a soft GBSC Park pitch after CVN, sent in to bat, mustered only 86. Wanderers lost just three wickets in eclipsing the target. CVN made a steady start with Ashley Campbell (19) busy despite the loss of Cody Slootmans, lbw to Jason Partington. But Campbell perished to Justin Clarkson, brilliantly caught by Michael Roberts who ran backwards from mid-on with the flight of a wind-assisted ball. Then Wanderers captain Kade Gillingham called on veteran pacer Shayne Bidwell (4-9) who he’d not used in his past 10 games. Handy to have a man with 585 A-grade wickets in reserve. By the time he finished, he had 589. His haul included the key scalps of Nigel Routledge, held by Zane Gray, and Hayden Dawson caught behind by Gillingham. At 7-45, CVN were a mess but there was fight from Axis Hutchinson (27) who hit five fours in 23 balls. His luck ran out when snared by Gillingham off Gus Heberle (2-5). In the chase, Wanderers lost wickets in successive balls at 32 to Zak Williamson (2-16) with Roberts (17) caught by Dawson and Flynn Heberle leg before. Gus Heberle (22) was caught by James Billing off Patrick Walsh at 62 but Bidwell (20 not out) and Clayton Bruce-Cherry (21no off nine balls) quickly got the remaining runs. Wanderers play Towns next week in the decider. In B-grade semis, Dongara were set 106 to win by CVN at Dongara and after a scare won by four wickets while Towns, thanks to Austin Breen (46 not out) and Brad Mailer (5-5) beat Wanderers at the Rec.