TOSS a 20-cent piece in the air and pick a side.
Footscray ANA and Melton Centrals have battled it out for four days in the Williamstown and District Cricket Association A2 grand final and still we’re none the wiser about a potential winner.
“It’s certainly game on, too early to call,” ANA president John Wetzler said. “It’s getting to the no guts, no glory stage.”
ANA can bury the ghosts of two heartbreaking grand final defeats in the past two seasons if it can take a further six wickets.
Centrals can spoil the redemption party and take the flag with them down the Deer Park bypass if they can manage a further 112 runs.
What is certain is that it will be a fascinating climax to a classic grand final.
“This really is the premiership quarter,” Wetzler said with a chuckle. “The purpose of a six-day grand final is to get an outright winner and we’ll have that. I don’t mind it at all.”
It has been a see-sawing affair from the word go. Back on the first weekend, ANA recovered from 2-0 to post a competitive 244 in 114.1overs.
Centrals endured a similarly erratic response, recovering from a dangerous position to make 151 in 90 overs.
ANA had the chance to really assert itself in the contest and failed with the bat on day four.
Rolled for 117 in its second dig, ANA is kicking itself for wasting a chance to build an unassailable lead.
“I was very disappointed with our batting,” Wetzler said. “It was really ordinary, undisciplined.
“A lot of our more experienced batsmen let us down.”
The Centrals’ innings is at the crossroads at 4-99. They began like a house on fire to be 0-48 before Sam Kukucka reeled them in with three wickets.
“They really struggled with his bowling,” Wetzler said. “He’s really hard to read with his deceptively fast off-spin.”
The first session this Saturday should provide all the answers to this game. Or, at least, swing the pendulum one way or the other.
WDCA FINALS
A2 turf: Grand Final: Footscray ANA 244 (D Veteha 45 N Lawriw 39 SA Kukucka 35 J Hines 33 J Wills 29) and 117 v Melton Centrals 151 (J Wills 2-17) and 4-99.
