Sport
19 March, 2025
Shield champs Biddon-Toora
Town Services skipper Ashley Hazelton knew the importance of Biddon-Tooraweenah captain Jaimie Zell’s chanceless 40 in the 2024/2025 Gilgandra District Cricket Association grand final as Biddon-Tooraweenah won its first title in six seasons with a three-wicket success!
Hazelton, who himself top-scored for his side with 39 earlier in the day and then took 2-14 off seven overs late in proceedings to help get Town Services back into the contest, acknowledged Zell’s stable innings after the Biddon-Tooraweenah leader was named player of Bendigo Bank ABC Shield decider on Saturday, March 15 at McGrane Oval, Gilgandra.
Biddon-Tooraweenah (7-142 in 39.4 overs) eventually defeated Town Services (140 all out in 41.2 overs) in a decider that had two major momentum swings across the five-and-a-half hours of play.
Firstly, Town Services built a sizeable advantage after winning the toss and getting to 2-106 in 28.1 overs, before Biddon-Toora hit back via slow-medium death bowlers Jeremy Cosier (3-15 off five overs) and Luke Harrison (3-26 from nine overs) to take 8-34 and dismiss Town Services for a middling score.
However, there was still graft work to be done with the bat for Biddon-Tooraweenah against a Town Services side that knocked over minor premiers Curban for 63 in the preliminary final and also rolled Biddon-Tooraweenah for 66 the last time the two sides met in round 14 on February 22.
Town Services scored 6-150 that day and it ended up being plenty. But in Saturday’s decider, this time chasing 141 for victory, when Zell entered the crease, Biddon-Tooraweenah was 1-26 in the 10th over.
“Jaimie (Zell) batted very well…he got Biddon-Tooraweenah into a position where it was going to be very difficult for them to lose and very difficult for us to win,” Ashley Hazelton said.
However, momentum shifted again with some late wobbles from Biddon-Tooraweenah as they fell to 7-125.
Town Services’ Mark Temple (3-35 off nine overs) and skipper Hazelton bowled their side back into the contest.
Enter Clint Walker (10 not out) and Oscar Spora (six not out) who were good enough to get Biddon-Toora home with an unbroken eighth-wicket stand of 17 runs scored from just 17 balls. “And some of their younger players, or players that don’t get an opportunity to bat for long periods … to score those runs and win the game for their side was a credit to them,” Ashley Hazelton said.
Zell admitted his own personal feeling at the time of losing his wicket was exhaustion after also wicket-keeping for 41.2 overs before his 75-ball innings which kept the senior player out in 38 degree heat for most of the day.
“It’s just satisfying to be able contribute,” Zell said. “I thought we were in a good position when I got out, but things changed very quickly.”
Zell was also quick to point to the experienced Walker’s cool head at the end and Spora (1-15 off two overs) having a key small double with vital late runs and the key wicket of Ashley Hazelton after Zac Ferguson took a great catch at deep backward square leg.
