With George Parry Oval looking a picture thanks to the hard work of the ground staff, Brian O’Connor and Craig Wilson from Cumberland City Council, the match which was played over two days Saturday and Sunday, started with Strathfield winning the toss and batting first in hot conditions.
Strathfield’s batsmen fought hard against some good tight bowling from the Burwood Briars bowlers and at the lunch break, Strathfield were 0-50 off 30 overs, a slow but cautious approach. After the lunch break, runs and wickets ebbed and flowed before Strathfield was bowled out for 193.
On Sunday, Burwood Briars lost some early wickets before taking a no-risk approach in chasing down Strathfield’s 193 and were prepared to bat out the day and look for the match to be drawn, which would give them the title and be declared Premiers.
However, with wickets falling and runs hard to come by against a determined Strathfield bowling attack, the match was a thriller with the result going down to the very last ball of the match.
In the last over of the match with Burwood Briars on 8/150 and only needing to draw the match to be declared Premiers, a wicket fell early in the over making Burwood Briars 9/150 with just won ball left.
As the last ball was bowled, the Burwood Briars batter played forward and edged a catch to the close in fielder and was caught out, giving Strathfield the Premiership.
