Saints put up a fight, but Finley were too strong

The Cats’ openers Cougar McGrath and Archie Mason saw off the Saints openers Matt Whelan (0/25) and Zach Nugent (0/37).

They raced the score past 50 on the flat deck and quick outfield.

Fraser Haintz (1/39) struck in his third over claiming Mason for 26.

This brought John Cattell to the centre who got in quickly.

McGrath reached his 50 and with Cattell took the Finley score past the 100 mark in the 23rd over.

A quick run saw Harley Middleton throw down the wickets to remove Cattell run out for 26 with the score at 126.

Jack Tonta was next in and with McGrath added a further 60 runs to the score with McGrath edging closer to his 100.

It was Middleton again to disrupt the flow for Finley clean bowling Tonta for 30 and the score was 3/186 in the 38th over.

With McGrath on 94 and new bat Harrison King in, the pressure was on him to get his captain on strike.

The Saints fielding and bowling restricted the Cats’ batsmen, and after 40 overs they finished 3/198.

McGrath required two off the last ball to reach a century, but could only manage a single and retired on 99 not out.

King was seven not out when the overs expired.

McGrath was stuck on 99 not out and King was seven not out after 40 overs.

In reply the Saints started very strongly making use of the pitch and conditions.

Tristan Mears and Nugent opened the batting, with Mears taking to the Finley bowlers Bailey Combs (0/24) and Tonta (1/32).

Berrigan got to 45 in just the sixth over with the help of difficult bowling conditions and Finley a fielder down.

Isedale has to leave the field to get six stitches just above his eye, but Finley dug deep and the wickets started to fall with three quick wickets.

Nugent was caught at square leg, Mears caught for 39 and Rory Knight trapped LBW for a duck all off Cattell (4/27), reducing the Saints to 3/46.

Matt Ross and Harley Middleton went about rebuilding the Saints’ innings adding a further 42 runs before both Ross was bowled by Mason (2/29).

Middleton was run out by Liam Rafferty for 29 the Saints were struggling at 5/88 in the 14th over.

Whelan and Haintz were the fresh men in getting themselves set before Mason struck again claiming Haintz caught for eight and the Saints were now 6/104.

Andrew Parr was next in and with Whelan had the Cats bowlers on the back foot.

The two added 41 runs before Parr had to retire Hurt for 24.

Brad Loats replaced Parr in the middle but was brought undone by Cattell, caught for two after a top edge.

The Saints were now 7/145.

Whelan followed Loats back to the shed seven runs later after he was caught off Tonta for 20, and the Saints were struggling.

Trav Lawton and Darcy Pyle put the pressure on the Cats bowlers, taking the score to 170 before the Glynn Lloyd (1/21) trapped Lawton LBW for five.

The Saints finished their innings 9/170 in the 34th, over with Pyle not out on 13.

Harley Middleton claimed Berrigan’s Tim Harris Transport Award for his efforts with the ball and bat.

The Saints travel to Nathalia this weekend, while Finley host Katunga.