‘Gutting’ result as rainfall drowns WA title bid

Rain has spoiled the WA Country XI men’s side’s hopes of winning back-to-back titles at the Australian Country Cricket Championships, losing the carnival- deciding final to Victoria on Saturday in Toowoomba. Chasing 195 to win after Victoria batted first in the 50-over final, WA started in the worst possible fashion as they lost star duo Calum How for five and Bevan Bennell for a first-ball duck. Ex-Albany resident Julian Crudeli helped rebuild the WA innings and Mid West’s Aaron McAuliffe provided great support at the other end as they put their side in a winnable position. McAuliffe was the sixth WA wicket to fall and four balls after his departure a heavy shower of rain halted play with WA 6-132. Needing 63 off the final 10 overs WA had brothers Julian and Nathan Crudeli at the crease. Play was halted for about 45 minutes and when they returned WA upped the ante as they tried to get in front of the par score with another shower imminent. That tactic resulted in the loss of Albany duo Nathan Crudeli (3), Coen Marwick (1) and then Julian Crudeli for a patient 58 off 112 balls. The second shower came and WA went off well behind the rate given the loss of three wickets. Duckworth-Lewis method was then put into use and with play unable to resume, players shook hands and the win was awarded to Victoria as WA were left stranded on 9-145 from 42.4 overs and behind the par score. WA won the one-day and overall titles last year but in a changed format for the 2020 championships, all Twenty20 and one-day games contributed to the overall standings where the top two teams played off for the only silverware being the overall shield. Earlier Victoria were bowled out for 194 after an outstanding spell from paceman Nathan Crudeli. Nathan Crudeli snared 5-33 from his 8.3 overs and was involved in the final wicket which was a run-out as Jeremy Wood, Aaron Burrage and Dan Abel also chipped in with one wicket apiece. WA crushed New South Wales by 83 runs on Wednesday as Wood finished with 3-31 and Marwick took 2-23. On Thursday WA slipped up against Australian Capital Territory, however, losing by 34 runs as they were bowled out for 89 with Nathan Crudeli top scoring with 19 not out. Heading into the final regular round WA were third and required a win against hosts Queensland who sat above them on the ladder. A brilliant 110 from Goldfields’ Bennell helped WA make 6-262 before bowling Queensland out for 126 with Aaron Burrage (4-20) and Nathan Crudeli (3-21) shining lights. Bennell was named player of the tournament, after breaking a 29-year record for the most runs scored at a single championships. The hard-hitting right-hander broke Peter Solway’s record of 562 runs, smashing 574 runs at an average of 63.8 in 11 innings. He was also the recipient of the Don Bradman Award as the batting aggregate winner at the carnival. Bennell was one of four WA men picked in the All-Australian XII, joined by Aaron Burrage (16 wickets & 137 runs), Calum How (395 runs, 21 dismissals) and Julian Crudeli (10 wickets, 346 runs). WA men’s coach Tim Edmunds said it was a bitter pill to swallow losing a game affected by rain. “Jules was in control, we had rebuilt and the shower came from nowhere,” Edmunds said. “We had to try and get in front with another shower coming and then it opened up. “We lost three wickets in 12 balls and that was it. “Pretty gutting for the guys, in the toughest tour in Australian cricket with 11 games in nine days and we were reduced to 13 players after day one.” “To get to the final was a great effort but credit to Victoria they toughed it out and bowled really well.”