STAFF WRITERS
CRICKET
TDCA JUNIORS TRARALGON District Cricket Association junior finals started with a mixture of results. The two Ex Students teams had very different days in Under 16s. In a game that will go down in Imperials folklore, the fourth-placed Imps batted first against the highly-fancied Ex Students, who had only lost one match for the season. The young Sharks were out for blood early and had Imperials in trouble at 4/19 as Ashan Keppitipola (10) and Kade Jennings (14) did all they could to fight back against the rampant Ex Students bowlers. It was tough going though and eventually Imperials were bowled out for just 62 in the 23rd over. All of the Sharks bowlers took wickets, but Jarvis Kee was the best, claiming 3/12 from five overs, while Logan Fernance, Marhsall Cropley and Jake Zappulla-Jaensch all claimed two themselves. For Imperials to win, something special was going to have to happen, and after a season which has seen the young spinner make his A Grade debut and also claim figures of 5/1 in B Grade, the ball was thrown to Hunter Dunstan, and from that point on a legend was born. Ex Students had no answer for the young star as he went on to remove seven batsman in his seven overs, finishing with the incredible figures of 7/7 with five maidens. Unfortunately for Ex Students, seven batsmen were unable to get off the mark as Dunstan was unplayable, with five of his seven wickets disturbing the timber. The Sharks were dismissed in the 16th over for just 43. Imperials charged into the Grand Final on the back of one of the best junior displays of bowling in recent memory. THE other semi-final was a one-sided affair, as the Ex Students Bull Sharks flexed their muscle ahead of the Grand Final. Second-placed Ex Students Bull Sharks batted first against third-placed Rovers, and were able to knock up a good score of 7/158 from their 40 overs. Opening batsman Zac Bastin made a good 29, but the standout was Hunter Henry batting at number four who made a good 50 before being dismissed caught and bowled by Adam Hurley. Some lower order runs came from Will Smith (14) and Lucas Richards (14) and with a good score on the board, the Bull Sharks were in the box seat. Rovers never got going in their chase as all but one of the seven bowlers Ex Students used claimed wickets to knock over their opponents for 53. Hunter Henry finished off a superb all round match claiming 2/6 from four overs while Nate Paulet, Lucas Mackay and Bastin claimed two wickets as well. The Grand Final will now be played on Sunday between the Ex Students Bull Sharks and Imperials. On semi-final form, it should be a fantastic match. THE results of the Under 13 semi-finals (played on Monday evening) were not known at the time the Express went to print. The final round of the Under 10 season was played last night (Tuesday).
