Macedon claimed its first ever Gisborne and District Cricket Association T20 title, taking out the district division grand final on Tuesday night.
Taking on last year’s winner and region division winner Wallan, Macedon had a tough task ahead.
And for most of the game, it looked like the Magpies would make it back-to-back titles.
Ollie Clough, who was joint skipper with Pat Trotta during the T20 competition, admitted they had their backs against the wall.
“We’ve played Wallan a few times in the last few seasons and we knew they were a quality outfit at their home ground,” he said.
“There was a big hostile crowd there as well.
“They needed less than 40 off the last five overs which was doable on the big ground. We managed to get a few wickets and slow them down a bit.”
The Magpies needed 10 runs off the last over, which was to be bowled by Nathan Aikman. The Magpies still had seven wickets in hand.
“Nathan got smashed around in his first three overs,” Clough said. “We brought him back on and he got two wickets in the last over. It’s one of the better overs I’ve seen someone bowl at the death.”
The Magpies finished 5-157, still six runs short of victory.
Aikman took two wickets, while Tim Dawe, Brendon Scott and Pat Trotta took a wicket each.
While Aikman was the man at the end of the innings, it was Daniel Trotta that set up the win.
Macedon was in trouble at 4-51, before Daniel Trotta and Scott put on 86 for the fifth wicket partnership to get Macedon back on track. Macedon eventually finishing 9-162.
Trotta pushed on making 86 before being run out. The innings included eight fours and five sixes.
Clough said the innings was one of the cleanest hitting performances he had seen and it included the biggest six they had seen.
The win means that Macedon will qualify for the division two finals of the Central Highlands region’s Cricket Willow T20 competition.
For Macedon it’s something new and an experience the players are looking forward to.
“It’s a pretty good feeling,” Clough said.
“We haven’t had a lot of success in the top team for a number of years, battling away in the longer format. To win four [T20] games in a row, we’re ecstatic.
“It’s a pretty good opportunity [Central Willow] for the boys to come together in a different format from the standard Saturday cricket.”
Clough said they were hoping the T20 premiership would set up the rest of their season.
