Towns advance to the 2024-25 Geraldton Bendigo Bank Cricket League grand final

After an impressive season in both the one-day and T20 competitions, Towns are now bound for the 2024-25 Geraldton Bendigo Bank Cricket League grand final.

Towns had already sealed a berth in the decider as minor premiers but ended their qualifiers with Saturday’s 189-run drubbing of Wanderers at GBSC Park.

It was built on a superb 141-run fourth wicket stand between captain Ringo McKenna (66 off 114 balls) and Kodi Giltrow (96 not out off 123 balls with three sixes and seven fours).

Towns then routed Wanderers for 43, one run more than the club’s record low of 42 (in a T20 v Towns 2020-21) and one less than their prior 50-over nadir (v Towns, 15 days later).

Wanderers can redeem themselves in next week’s preliminary final against Sportsmans.

Wanderers’ Kade Gillingham won the toss and bowled but dropped catches were costly. They did, however, shift Jeremy Bedford in the second over, caught by Gus Heberle off Austyn Moulds.

Tom Witt helped Jai Russell (34 off 29 balls) put on 40. Both he and Russell were caught behind by Gillingham off Damien King with Witt being King’s 100th A-grade scalp.

Then Giltrow, who recorded his highest score, and McKenna combined.

Giltrow ran out of time before he completed a well-deserved maiden ton while McKenna moved beyond 1000 runs for Towns.

Heberle (2-44) had late reward, but Towns’ 5-232 was ample after McKenna (4-10) took Wanderers’ first four wickets, those of King, Heberle, Zane Marwick and Ian Oglesby.

Heberle was leg before wicket with the others caught by ‘keeper Bedford. King was McKenna’s 200th A-grade wicket,who now has 203 wickets at 11.54. As good has McKenna has become, it’s likely he hasn’t peaked.

Of the 50 bowlers with a minimum of 200 wickets in the GRCB’s 62-year history, only John Faichney’s average (10.85) is better.

There was no recovery. Only Gillingham reached double figures as Wanderers were scythed by Sam Crouch (2-3) and Travis Morgan (3-3).

At Mazzuchelli Oval, Bluff Point and Chapman Valley-Northampton ended their seasons with a 76-run win to the Pointers.

Bluff Point’s Callum Joss won the toss and batted and his side made 202 thanks to a 109-run second wicket stand between Aaron Joss (71), a career best, and Mitch McAuliffe (30).

The Pointers lost 5-24 after McAuliffe was pouched by Taj Satie off Patrick Walsh (3-47) but Carl Shilling (39) made handy runs despite Trey Horobin (4-25), another career best.

CVN replied with an opening stand of 62 between Walsh, who generally bats low or not at all and Satie (48) but were all out for 126.

Scott Harrison (16) and Mitch Marsh (21) resisted but Jeremy Boase (3-18), James Morrison (4-42) and Shilling (2-27) ruled.