Beavers make grand final after holding off Marist

Eaton are into this year’s Bunbury and Districts Cricket Association grand final after claiming an 11-run win over Marist in the second semi-final at the Eaton Sports Ground on Saturday.

After being sent into bat, the Beavers scored a modest 141 from 49.2 overs, with Marist’s bowlers doing a good job of halting the scoring.

Jack Wilson (1-12 off seven overs) gave Marist the ideal start when he had Matt Foreman out for just one run.

Brayden Clarke and Adam Spinelli then combined to run out Matt Davies (1), before the dangerous James Hillery (1) was caught by Ben Shipley off the bowling of Alan Utterson (1-23 off 9.4 overs).

This left the reigning champions in trouble at 3-8.

Stuart Clark (27) and captain Clint Hewson (26) worked hard to stabilise the innings and together they shared a 58-run partnership before Blues captain Reece O’Connell (2-16 off 10 overs) got the wicket of Hewson.

Clarke then destroyed Eaton’s middle order, taking 4-25 off 9.2 overs as he claimed the wickets of Clark, Clayton Caltsounis (32), Liam O’Mara (3) and Jacob Van Bavel (6).

O’Connell trapped Troy Lewis (0) lbw and Spinelli ran out Jamie Martin (7), leaving Eaton well below par.

Marist’s top order collapsed though and soon it was them who were on the back foot.

Steve Barron (4-15 off 10 overs) got things rolling for Eaton when he had Sam Roots caught behind for a duck. Corey Fitt when was then caught by Lewis off the bowling of Hewson (2-47 off 10 overs) for just seven runs.

Barron then grabbed the big wicket of O’Connell (4) when he edged the ball to the wicketkeeper.

Barron was on a hat-trick after he bowled Spinelli (5) and Clarke (0), before Hillery (2-12 off 10 overs) had Kyle Davis (31) stumped just before drinks.

Marist were in deep trouble at 6-60 and looking like they were never going to reach the target.

This got worse when Josh Vague (7) was trapped lbw by Van Bavel (1-12 off four overs).

Josh Seale (15) and Ben Shipley (32) got Marist back in the game with a 30-run stand, before Hillery got the wicket of Seale to break the game open again.

Wilson (5) stuck around for a bit to try to help Marist past the total, but he edged to Davies off Hewson.

Utterson (12 not out) and Shipley then pushed the game right to the last over, before O’Mara had Shipley caught off the first ball of the 50th over, with Marist all out for 130. Marist will now play Colts in the preliminary final.