Report courtesy of Gilgandra Cricket Association

Breelong have won this year's Bendigo Bank ABC Shield Cricket Competition by defeating the Coonamble-based Gidgee team on Saturday at McGrane Oval.

The Breelong Club has had an amazing season after being in the cricketing wilderness for a few decades, with their last Grand Final appearance occurring in 1994, and their last premiership in 1981.

Gidgee started the match as favourites, being minor premiers and first team into the Grand Final, having defeated Breelong in the major semi-final a fortnight ago.

Gidgee's skipper Tyne Chapman called correctly at the coin toss and to the surprise of most keen spectators at the game sent the Breelong outfit into bat.

Breelong’s openers Matt Everett and skipper, Liam Zell were watchful early as Gidgee’s Gular connection in the form of Peter Peters and Dwayne Hammond used the new ball wisely, with the latter clean bowling Zell for 1 in the 5th over with the score on 15.

Nathan Tuena was looking the goods, with deft touches behind point and square leg and was consolidating the innings well but missed a straight one, bowled by Chapman for 14 with the score on 50.

Kenny Johnson built a strong partnership with Everett, and just when the pair looking to be getting on top of their opponents, Johnson spooned a half tracker from skipper Chapman to backward square leg to be dismissed for 17.

Guy Mcanally-Elwin was next man in, however the veteran didn’t last long, bowled for 2 by Tallis McEwen on the last ball prior to the second drinks break in the 30th over, with the score on 4/109.

Matt Everett at this point was 65 not out, having not offered a chance and only sending 3 balls to the boundary.

After refreshments, Alex Sutherland joined Everett and the pair put on the third 50 run partnership of the innings, with Everett content to watch Alex play some solid cricket shots as well as being very watchful in defence managing to dispatch 3 boundaries in his knock of 23 before he fell victim to some good fielding, run out with the score on 159.

Not long after, Matt Everett posted his second century in as many weeks and from this point looked to up the ante in the final few overs.

Everett showed great temperament and patience in his innings, which was one of control, solid defence when required, with barely a false stroke played in the 45 overs he was at the crease as he carried his bat to be 129 not out off 121 balls.

It was a great openers knock on a slow McGrane outfield.

Many shots were worthy of boundaries but between a defensive field set by Gidgee and the steady roll of the ball due to a lush outfield some were only singles or twos.

His innings set the match up for the Breelong team as they powered their way to 7- 207 off their allotted 45 overs.

It was the highest individual score in a grand final in many years with several old timers not being able to recall a century being scored in a grand final.

All the Gidgee bowlers toiled hard, and with some life in the pitch early Hammond and Peters kept the Breelong top order batsmen honest.

Tyne Chapman was the pick of the bowlers with his 2 for 17 off 7 overs, whilst youngster Tallis McEwen snared 3/36 from 8 overs.

207 runs was always going to be a big ask for the Gidgee outfit as they strode to the crease to commence their innings. Peter Peters and Mark Stewart got stuck into it from the first ball, racing to 0/35 off 5 overs.

At this point it looked to be game on, as the Gidgee pair struck some heavy blows off Breelong’s openers, John Alchin and Matt Zell.

Halfway through the 6th over, in what was a turning point in the match, Zell wound back the clock 30 years taking a pure reflex caught and bowled chance from Mark Stewart who had loaded up on a straight drive.

The big left armer had little time to slow down after blasting through the delivery stride, slapping out his left hand to take a screamer.

From this point it was all Breelong as the Coonamble team lost their next 5 wickets for the addition of only 11 runs, with the experienced opening bowlers giving nothing away.

At one point, Alchin, a name synonymous with Breelong cricket was on a hat trick after he knocked over Evan Ryan clean bowled and Mitch Nalder caught behind by Everett, who kept up to the stumps for the entire innings.

Skipper Chapman did his best to stem the flow of wickets but when he was bowled by Zell for 10 in only the 18th over the big contingent of Breelong faithful began to celebrate.

By the time the veteran openers had finished their 9 over spells, the innings was in tatters at 8-53 with Alchin reeling it back in to finish with 4 for 25, and Zell even more miserly with 4 for 23, this after being taken for 35 off the first 5 overs, in effect taking 8 for 18 off the next 13 overs between them.

Only 3 Gidgee batsmen made it to double figures, openers Stewart (17), Peters (14) and Chapman 10, with brothers Henry and Kenny Johnson cleaning up the remaining two wickets, to see Gidgee decimated, all out for 68 in only 23 overs.

Full credit must go to this team, however. To finish as minor premiers and losing grand finalists in their first year in the competition is a great effort and they’ll be much wiser for the experience next year.

The Gidgee players from Saturday's game: (BACK) Tyne Chapman, Mitch Nalder, Jarrod Page, Peter Peters, Mark Stewart, Elvy McEewen and Andrew Wheelhouse. (FRONT) Braeden O’Brien, Aaron Page, Jack Page, Dale Parker, Even Ryan and Tallis McEwen. Image courtesy of Tyne Chapman.

A point of interest for all cricketers young and old is that these 2 teams ( to the writers knowledge) are the only 2 in the competition that practice on a regular basis, Breelong commencing well before the season started, so well done to both teams for your dedication, as it certainly looks to have paid off.

Congratulations to the Premiers Breelong, as with Gidgee it’s a huge effort just to reform a club but to take the title out with such an emphatic victory in your first year back is exceptional.

A big thanks to Gil Shire Council, in particular Cec Marchant and his team who prepared McGrane Oval magnificently, as well as father and son Noel and Harry Willoughby who scored the match in conjunction with Jon Kilby who recorded the scoring live through the MyCricket App (allowing people away from the ground to keep up to date with the score as it happens).

Also, a huge thanks to our major sponsors, Bendigo Bank, your support is very much appreciated.

Thanks also to badged umpire David Lowe who officiated throughout the finals series and was called on to decide the man of the match on Saturday which he adjudged to be NSW Country representative Matt Everett for his classy knock of 129 Not Out which included seven 4’s and two well struck 6’s.

Congratulations to all 9 teams who participated this year as we now look forward to next season's competition.