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Knights Rule the Roost.

By Ian Harley

 

The Knoxfield Knights have won the 2015/16 Norm Reeves Shield taking full advantage of the new finals format after a defeat in the first week of the finals. Knoxfield wrapped up the game dismissing The Basin for 174 in pursuit of 208, with Tom Boxell winning the Stephen Lee Medal for best afield in the Grand final.

 

Scott McKenzie ensured the Bears chase did not get off to a flyer removing Jake Best and Danny Rundle in the space of two balls with the score on 21. Josh Lee survived a chance two ball later before McKenzie struck again to have The Basin 3/25 and Lee gone for 1. Opener Christopher Wilson was joined by Jayden Turcinovic and the pair pushed the score to 50 before Luke Scanlan struck removing Wilson for 19. Turcinovic (45) and Ron Heskes tried to get the innings back on track with a partnership of 46; unfortunately both fell with the score on 97. Scott Vozzo and Connor Edwards followed soon after and The Bears had lost 4/8 to be reeling at 8/105.

 

Steve Ryan (20) and Matt Heskes (39) managed to drive the score closer to the target but it was too little too late for The Bears, their innings coming to a close at 174 off 71 overs. Luke Scanlan took 5 wickets (5/43 off 20) to back up the opening performance of Scott McKenzie 3/52.

Knoxfield won the toss and elected to bat on day one and lost Ben Gerloff with the score on 27 and Kyle Povah (30) at 57 but it was the double strike at 67 that saw Luke Scanlan and Trentin Scholfield back in the shed that had the Knoxfield innings in trouble. Tom Boxell managed to get the Knight's innings on track despite the loss of Zac Wilson. Matt Train joined Boxell and got the score to 132 before Boxell was out LBW to Josh Lee for a well compiled 50. Matt Train then guided the tail to a score of 208 before he was the last man out for 54.

 

The Basin was well served by Scott Vozzo who took 4/55 off 28 overs including the key wicket of Scanlan, and Matthew Heskes 3/60 off 30 overs. Jayden Turcinovic kept well all day snaring 2 stumpings including the final wicket of Train.

 

In the DeCoite Shield game between Upper Ferntree Gully and Lysterfield no play was possible on day one with standing water surrounding the wicket despite the best efforts of both sides to get the ground fit for play. Day two saw Upper Gully win the toss and elect to bat with skipper Peter Dunlop and Alistair Lord opening the innings. Lord was removed with the score on 15. The Kings then lost Guy Balmford(15) with the score on 53 and Craig Bridle (13) at 84. Dunlop continued to drive the score on and with Shane Luck (33) put on a 65 run partnership before Luck was dismissed with the score on 149.

 

The Kings looked to accelerate the scoring and in doing so lost Dunlop for well compiled 86 making the score 5/169. Wickets fell regularly in the chase for runs but it was Jay "Sticks" Colee that ensured the innings finished with a flourish at 8/212. Lysterfield's Stephen Kennedy (2/27) and Aiden Inglis (2/32) took their early wickets before Brad Paull (2/52) and Nathan Walsh (2/57) took the pace of the ball trying to restrict the scoring. Lysterfield will need to make the most of any opportunities to win this game, while the Kings will be looking to turn the screws and put pressure on the Beavers. Day 3 will be an interesting proposition indeed.

 

Scores

Grand Final
Norm Reeves Shield
Knoxfield 208 (Train 54, Boxell 50, Vozzo 4/55) def The Basin 174 (Turcinovic 49, M.Heskes 39, Scanlan 5/43, McKenzie 3/52)
Stephen Lee Medal: Tom Boxell
DeCoite Shield
Upper Ferntree Gully 8/212 ( Dunlop 86, Luck 33)v Lysterfield

 

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