Liam Durkin
MAFFRA took home two senior premierships in the Sale-Maffra Cricket Association this season.
The Eagles completed strong seasons in the seconds and fourths, winning their respective titles across the weekend of March 23-24.
Even better, Maffra had the added thrill of winning both premierships at their home ground of Cameron Sporting Complex.
The Second XI successfully chased 165 against Bundalaguah on Cameron Oval 1.
In a game that featured many first grade quality players, the Eagles worked their way through each wicket to eventually get off the park in 72.4 overs.
Familiar names in the middle order made the runs for Bundalaguah, as they had for most of the season in second grade. Aaron Lynch made 56, Toby O’Reilly 40 and Gayashan Munasinghe 28.
Jim Beaumont and Jake Pendrick took three wickets each for Maffra, while Alex Kuizenga nabbed two.
The Eagles took a slow and steady approach in reply, and it ended up paying dividends.
Maffra was never really troubled, and completed victory in 67.5 overs, still with seven wickets in the shed.
Veterans Nathan Magnuson and Heath Shingles guided the innings for the most part.
Magnuson top-scored with 75 and Shingles 54.
Magnuson, Shingles and Beaumont all played predominately first grade in their younger years, but have made the transition down in recent seasons in order to help the club blood a few players in the firsts.
That the trio were among the Eagles’ best players in a second grade Grand Final perhaps demonstrates just how much first grade experience counts for, especially considering Magnuson and Shingles predominately batted down the order when they played First XI.
Munasinghe took 2/28 for Bundalaguah.
The Eagles easily won Fourth Grade.
Maffra defeated Bundalaguah Bulls by nine wickets, chasing the 72 needed inside 20 overs at Cameron No 2.
A dominant bowling display from Will Osborn set the tone for what ended up being a walk in the park victory.
Osborn tore through the Bulls’ middle and lower order, taking 5/27, leading on from opener Zac Parker (2/8), and working in tandem with Vaishnu Vb (2/11).
Ricky Whelan and Josef Pataki then made sure of the result, making 38 and 25 not out respectively.
