Tara Murray
A bold call at the toss proved to be the catalyst for Deer Park as it won through to the Victorian Turf Cricket Association division 1 grand final series.
Undefeated this season, the Lions entered their semi final match with Seddon as favourites and showed exactly why.
Seddon was bowled out for 166 on the second last ball. Talor Williams top scored with 51.
Ricky Suvada took three wickets for the Lions.
After a good start with the bat the Lions were able to continue to build, finishing 3-168 with more than five overs remaining.
Roshon Primus top scored with 46 not out.
Lions coach Mick Andriadis said credit had to go to Suvada and his decision to bowl first.
“He assessed the wicket and made a gutsy call,” he said. “Looking at the scores most captains would have made the call to bat first.
“He won the toss and elected to bowl and at the halfway stage they were 3-57, but it could have been 5-50.”
Seddon added some late runs, as the Lions fielding let them down.
Andriadis said the were confident that they could get the runs and were on track to score more than 200 if they had batted out the whole 40 overs.
“Ange [Angelo Emmanuel] has had a terrific season and he got us off to a flier,” he said.
“He hit an over for 14 and it lifted our confidence. If you’re 0-20 or 0-30 off 10 overs it can play on your mind.
“That 14 off one over broke the shackles.”
The Lions will play St Francis de Sales in the best-of-three grand final series. All three games will be played at Deer Park.
Andriadis said the confidence they’ve had this season would continue through into the grand final series.
“We’ve just got to trust in what we have done,” he said.
“Even in the T20s, we’ve lost just one game for the year and it was off the last ball.
“We won every other game, so trust in the stuff we have been doing.”
