FINAL
Cricketers Arms vs Raging Bunny Hotel at Booralee 5

Saturday
Another importent toss won - and another decision to bat first. Our strategy discussions had stressed the importance of building a score slowly, and frustrating the Bunnies' attack - which has proven statistically to be the best in the competition. Angus made the early running - punishing anything short, even after taking a knock on the jaw while attempting a hook shot. Mike dug in, determined not to repeat his early rash shot in the semi-final. They weathered the Bunnies' opening spell, and settled into a solid partnership. The 50 was on the board before the first wicket went down, when Angus lifted a cut shot and was caught at gully after another fine top-order knock of 35. Dave joined Mike, but some over ambitious calling and an excellent direct hit left him tragically run out for just 3. Gerrard and Mike took the score into the 70s before Mike played a leg glance, got it just a bit fine, and was caught behind for 22. Immediately, Phil was given out lbw (a tragic thing to happen first-up) and we had again lost our way after a decent start.
At 4-77 some consolidation was needed, and the normally carefree Tim knuckled down with Gerrard and played a really responsible hand. They added 39 for the 5th wicket, until Tim went for 20 - the same way as Mike - caught behind down the leg-side. Gerrard (30) and Paul (1) edged the score forwards in the face of some very accurate bowling, and both lost their wickets in a quest for quick runs as overs began to run out. Jeremy and John worked the ball into the gaps (with Jeremy striking just the third boundary of the innings, after a couple of glorious hook shots by Angus earlier in the day), and took the score to 149 before Jeremy (14) fell victim to the second run-out of the day. Pete played over a shooter, leaving Jacob in the tailend support role yet again. He safely played out the penultimate over, leaving John to hook into the 70th. He hammered a succession of twos on the big ground, and lifted the final score to 157 with a valuable 18 not out. For the Bunnies, three bowlers did the lions' share of the work - W.Anderson (29 overs! 1-49), D.Hookey (16 overs, 1-40) and the standout B.Gordon (20 overs, 5-32).
We had played out 70 overs for the first time (not counting a couple of declarations earlier in the season), and the final score of 157 gives an idea of the tight bowling - and big boundaries. We went to the pub feeling that the game was on an even keel - 157 was something to defend, and worth many more on a smaller ground.

Sunday
We started off the day feeling that early wickets would be the key. Jeremy took the new ball, and achieved just that - hitting the stumps with the third ball of the innings. The Raging Bunny no.3 didn't last much longer, falling in similar fashion to Jacob. The bowling was superbly tight, and the normally free-hitting Hookey brothers weren't able to get the ball away (although D Hookey did hammer a couple of big shots of Jeremy before we closed off the boundaries). A sharp slips catch to Gerrard off Jaccy broke that particular partnership, and the Bunnies were in early trouble at 3-19. B.Gordon joined D.Hookey, and in spite of having bowled about 40 overs between them, they defied the Cricketers Arms attack for eight overs. However the bowling (by Jacob, Jeremy and Pete) and fielding was such that they could only score eleven runs. Gerrard came on to bowl, and the pressure finally told - he struck twice in his second over - the key breakthrough coming from a brilliant slips catch by Angus. Having prised the door open, Gerrard then proceeded to kick it down. The RBH skipper was next to go, bowled for a duck, before the stubborn D.Hookey was dismissed for a top-scoring 26. When Gerrard also knocked over the Bunnies' opening bowler Anderson the score was 8-48. A.Dunne (16) was involved in a couple of enterprising lower-order partnerships, but it was all a bit late for the Bunnies. J.Hookey became Gerrards 6th wicket, before our founding skipper Phil fittingly wrapped up game, set, match and championship by trapping Dunne lbw.
When the dust had settled, the Raging Bunnies had been dismissed for 75, leaving us the winners by 82 runs. All the bowlers had performed sterling work - openers Jeremy (7 overs, 1-12) and Jacob (9 overs 2-16) had started things off, with Pete (7 overs, 0-11) and Dave (3 overs, 0-11) keeping the pressure right on the batsmen. Gerrard was the destroyer, though, taking 6-24 off 11 overs, while Phil (1.1 overs 1-2) had the honour of collecting the final scalp. It was an emphatic win - built on patient and disciplined batting, and hostile and accurate bowling - backed up by some great slips catching.
We can really take pride from this season - we've played 15, won 12, lost 3, finished on top of the table, and beaten every team in the competition at least once. The standard of cricket played in those last three vital matches (the clash vs then-leaders GCB, the semi and the final) was simply the best I've seen from this club! Well done to everyone who played with us this year - every game had a couple great performances, and everyone contributed to our final win. We only finished a few points ahead of GCB on the table, so every win throughout the season was a vital factor in the end result. Thanks also to everyone who came down to Booralee Oval to lend moral support for the final - and to Jimmy 'the Don', for taking the field as 12th man.

The 7 hours following the game are still a bit of a blur, but I have fuzzy memories of the inside of the Cricketers Arms Hotel....

Look out for news of the team barbie (most likely to be on the 7th) and the Association presentation dinner on the 4th. Hope everyone can come along and join us in lifting a well-deserved trophy. Phil and Gerrard will also be receiving individual awards for stand-out performances during the season (6-fors with the ball, and a century with the bat).
Here's to a great season, and a fitting end - well done to ALL!