Justin was a part of both clubs at various times and was a valued member and friend.
Before his passing, his last act for the Tocumwal Cricket Club was hitting the winning runs versus Katunga for A-grade in the 2021/22 season.
It is a fantastic opportunity to remember and celebrate him with the Finley vs Tocumwal cricket rivalry.
Finley won the toss and elected to bat, but they were not off to a good start, with a wicket in the first over.
Tight bowling from Tocumwal restricted the runs, and as a result, wickets kept falling at a constant rate, with only one Cats’ player making it to double figures.
Andy Arthur immediately putting the screws on the Finley top order.
With pressure being kept on by tight bowling by Cooper Mangion at the other end, Arthur was able to strike regularly on his way to figures of 5/14 off nine overs.
Andrew Lean followed him into the attack and made two quick breakthroughs to have Finley in all sorts of trouble at 7/46.
Jeremy Packer then picked up a LBW with a nice bit of bowling to have Finley 8/60.
The Cats looked like they were in trouble until a 60-run ninth-wicket partnership between Archie Mason (84) and Jonty King (4) saw them reach a defendable total of 122 off 44 overs.
Tocumwal confesses to have suggered from the “wobbles” over the next 15 overs and catches went down repeatedly allowing Finley to get away from them, even with tight bowling.
The lapses in the field and some stoic defence allowed Mason to make his way to his well struck 84.
Reilly Rennick was able to break the partnership getting Mason LBW.
He was then able to catch the edge to take the final wicket.
Michael Roberts was particularly good behind the stumps taking three very good catches and a stumping.
Liam Sutton was very unlucky, but bowled well in his nine over stint.
Chasing 123, Tocumwal had to work hard to get partnerships going to get to the total.
Unfortunately every time the side seemed to be building, they would lose a wicket.
This allowed Finley to keep the pressure on throughout the innings.
Finley took the first wicket in the second over.
Wickets continued to fall thanks to some outstanding fielding by Isaac Lunn and tight bowling from Mason (2/20 off nine overs) and Harrison King (3/22 off nine overs).
It wasn’t enough, though, as the Bloods passed the score with seven wickets down in the 39th over.
Reilly Rennick (18) did well to guide Tocumwal through the early overs and was looking good.
The fall of his wicket bought Josh Wraight and Lean to the crease together, with the score 5/48.
With a rebuild needed, they worked well in partnership to build the score to 98.
But both suffered from “brain fades” and got out one after the other, leaving Jeremy Packer and Ed Haynes with a bit of work still to do.
Luckily for Tocumwal they made the rest of the runs with ease - Packer retiring on 14 and Haynes on nine runs.
Both played extremely well in a pressure situation to bring up Tocumwal A-grade’s first win of the season.
The Finley Cricket Club’s Finley Bakery and Patisserie players’ player went to Archie Mason.
~ Compiled using reports from Andrew Lean (Tocumwal Cricket Club) and Finley Cricket Club.
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