ST Mary’s Tyntynder’s SHDCA A Grade premiership on Saturday put seasons of red-ball heartache in the past.
Discounting the COVID-19 year of 2019-20, when the Saints were given the flag at the season’s cancellation – it was their first red-ball triumph since 2004-05.
The Saints’ reputation as an XI who can’t get the job done in the finals was ended when they chased down Wandella’s total of 121 with relative ease.
The Saints are a close group who have been together for a long time and know each other’s games inside out.
Saints skipper Nathaniel Holmes-Brown said he was thrilled at their achievement.
“We’re a good tight-knit bunch of blokes who enjoy our time on and off the field together,” he said.
“It’s special we now have that bond, whenever we go back to the club, for the rest of our careers and beyond we’re premiership teammates.
While the Saints were the dominant side all season, they took the long road to the top of the mountain through past failed campaigns.
Holmes-Brown said the arduous trek made for a mixture of emotions on Saturday evening.
“It’s been a long journey – I think we all at the same time felt relieved and stoked to finally win that red-ball flag and get the photo up on the clubroom wall,” he said.
“I know most of the boys have been at the joint their whole life and went through a few ordinary years when they were younger, so they’re just glad to be on the better side of it.”
The season was Holmes-Brown’s debut as A Grade captain.
He has taken to the top job like a duck to water – winning the competition bowling average while achieving a premiership double – with the Kookaburra Cup and A Grade crowns both belonging to the Saints.
He confirmed himself as one of the competition’s best leaders on Saturday, taking 4/41 to snare man-of-the-match honours.
“You want to take wickets in any game, but the finals are where it counts,” Holmes-Brown said.
“It’s always good to play your role in the team, and mine is to take early wickets.”
When asked if he believed he’d be an A Grade premiership captain, Holmes-Brown gave his side the credit.
“I wouldn’t have ever thought I’d win one as a skipper, let alone in my first year, but I’m pretty lucky with the team I’ve got at my disposal,” he said.
“It was an easy team to lead – they’re all great cricketers and blokes.”
Winning the toss and posting a big score was Wandella’s best hope of victory.
They achieved one of those by batting first, but unlike three weeks ago, when they upset the Saints to announce themselves as contenders, they couldn’t deal with Holmes-Brown and Corey Daniels (3/34).
The Saints’ opening bowlingtore through the top order to have the Bombers 4/41.
In a serious dent of their opponent’s confidence, Daniels grabbed the crucial breakthrough, removing Bombers skipper Greg Dickson for two.
Holmes-Brown had high praise for his bowling partner.
“It was a tough one for man of the match award because I thought Corey was the key guy – he took three wickets, including (Dickson) and Luke Murray, which were huge wickets.”
From there, it was a matter of slowly grinding the Bombers’ batsmen down.
Saints spinner Dom Violi (3/13 off eight overs) played that role perfectly.
“He’s always been a natural wicket-taker,” Holmes-Brown said.
“I was so happy for him to be rewarded for all his hard work this season.”
Bohden McKnight (25) provided some resistance, but the Bombers’ total of 121 was well below par.
The chase was not a simple one for the Saints, with Bombers fast bowler Ethan McKnight (3/37) producing a great spell to have the Saints in bother at 4/79.
Middle-order collapses have plagued the Saints in previous year’s finals, but the maturity of this year’s crop was on full display.
“It’s something we’ve been working on all season – stopping those middle-order collapses,” Holmes-Brown said.
“In previous years, I might not have, but I had full faith in our middle order on Saturday.”
A small change in the Saints’ batting order proved fruitful, with Bailey Codling slotting down one spot in the order.
After a nervy start, Codling (31 not out) guided the Saints home with Jack Shannahan (19 not out) to win with just under 20 overs to spare.
“Bailey played well and did his role perfectly,” Holmes-Brown said.
“Pre-game, we swapped Corey (Daniels) and Bailey around because Corey had been in such good form, but it ended up being the right move the other way round.”
OTHER GRADES
SATURDAY wasn’t perfect for the Saints, whose B-Grade side fell to Nyah District at home by five wickets.
The Demons were brilliant with the ball, rolling the Saints for 64.
Demons legend and captain Richie Boulton was awarded man of the match for his 4/9 from eight overs and composed 16 off 63 balls.
The Demons sneaked home with 19 balls to spare.
In C Grade, Balranald handily defeated Lakers by 89 runs.
League batting average winner Jacob Lister capped off his brilliant season, making 91 not out to guide his team to 6/138 from their 35 overs.
In reply, Lakers never got close, being rolled for 49.
In junior competition, Nyah District’s future is in safe hands, with their under-16s taking out the flag.
They defeated Murray Raiders by 32 runs.
It wasn’t all bad news for the Raiders, with their under-13s triumphing over Lakers by eight wickets.
