A FANTASTIC bowling performance from Wauchope RSL veteran Jason Blythe got his team a grand final victory over Macquarie Hotel in first grade at Oxley Oval yesterday.
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Blythe took nine wickets for the match two in the first innings and seven in the second as RSL comprehensively beat Macquarie with an outright victory.
Macca was sent back in after being dismissed for 80 in the first innings. Michael Pelley's team was chasing RSL's 156 and was unlucky to miss avoiding the follow-on by just one run.
Macquarie was all out for 51 in the second and RSL wasn't even required to bat again.
Blythe's 10-over spell in the second dig returned 7-24. He was the difference yesterday, drawing plenty of plays and misses from the Macquarie batsman, who saw no point in batting conservatively.
A delighted RSL captain Brad Baxter had discussed batting again with his team after Macquarie's first innings, but said it was "no-brainer" to send the opposition again.
"If you lose early wickets [batting again], it puts the pressure on to get runs," he said.
"They had to score 80 odd just to get us to bat again."
Blythe has played for RSL for almost 30 years, and 2014 was his first legitimate premiership.
"He won one by washout, but this was his first real premiership," Baxter said.
Wauchope set up the win with some sensible batting on day one.
After losing the toss and being sent in, Todd Dalton and Blake Larance kept their heads and put on some steady runs.
Macquarie made a comeback though. Brendan Badenoch's five-for had his team well in it after day one.
Macca went to stumps at 0-6.
Pelley said he thought it was a 50-50 prospect after that.
"Unfortunately, we weren't good enough," he said.
"I was proud of the boys."
Badenoch proved he is a big-game bowler. He's now got nine michelles for Macquarie.
"Five of them have been in finals," Pelley said.
"He's a real finals-type bowler."
