Golden City stun KBCA leaders on eve of finals

Golden City will head into the Kalgoorlie-Boulder Cricket Association’s upcoming finals series with renewed confidence after they upset minor premiers St George last Saturday to end the qualifying series.

St George were favourites to notch a 12th victory against the competition’s fourth-placed team but were dismissed for a modest 118 when Francois Richard top-scored with 32 not out.

Golden City in reply cruised to 3-119 in 21 overs, securing a finals berth with six wins.

Openers Mitch Graham (31 off 29 balls) and Blake Harte (62 off 58 balls) put Golden City on the path to victory with a 63-run stand.

Graham’s innings was underpinned by five boundaries and Harte struck five fours and a six as the duo went at identical strike rates of 106.89.

Despite the result, St George finished first on percentage over Sunrisers.

Sunrisers last weekend grabbed an 11th win at the expense of Veterans.

Set 137 for victory, Sunrisers got the job done in 22.4 overs when Vijay Snehith Meesala blasted 55 off 27 balls.

His knock included eight fours and two sixes and Manideep Sai Nagavelli was 30 not out off 49 balls.

Luke Stewart earlier highlighted Veterans’ innings with a hard-hitting 39 off 40 balls after the side initially struggled to 4-42.

Jason Knoll blasted 12 fours and two sixes in a punishing 92 that led Goldrush’s win over Hibernians.

Knoll guided Goldrush to 6-179 after Tom Hughes (98 not out) and Luke Genovese (58) underpinned Hibernians’ 177.

Hughes played superbly but six batters made ducks as Josh Chapman grabbed 4-17.

In the opening round of finals on March 9, St George and Sunrisers will clash with an automatic berth in the grand final on the line.

Veterans play Golden City in the first semifinal, with the loser bowing out of flag contention.

Ladder:

St George 44 points; Sunrisers 44; Veterans 32; Golden City 24; Goldrush 20; Hibernians 16.