Easts enter the first grade finals series in fearsome form after toppling arch-rivals and reigning premiers Hillgrove in the last round of the regular season.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Not only did Easts beat Hillgrove outright, but did so with an innings to spare after bowling out their opponents for 81 and 57 while posting 153 in their opening innings with the bat.
Easts used five bowlers – Jackson Gwynne, Tyson Burey, Matt Jackson, Sam Uphill and Todd Francis – who shared the wickets around.
“It was very nice, especially the way we bowled in both innings, I thought it was awesome,” Uphill said.
“We bowled really well and I thought Jackson Gwynne and Tyson were unreal in the second innings, Matt Jackson like he has been all year was really good.
“Toddy bowled really well too so it is nice signs heading into a finals series.”
With the bat, Francis top-scored with 60 while Clarrie Moran was the side’s other major contributor with 28.
We bowled really well and I thought Jackson Gwynne and Tyson were unreal in the second innings, Matt Jackson like he has been all year was really good.
- Sam Uphill
“Todd was due and he batted really, really well,” Uphill said.
“It is pretty hard going at the Sportsground at the moment because you are not getting value for shots but he just waited his time, knocked them around and he hit the bad ball for four if he had to and then just kept working them around.”
Both Hillgrove and Easts now turn their attention to the finals. Hillgrove take on City while Easts play Ex-Services with Guyra missing out.
Uphill expects Hillgrove to feature heavily throughout the finals, despite the loss.
“You’d think they [Hillgrove] are too good of a side to not do that,” he said.
“City will give them a fair run for their money I think.
“City would be the darkhorse of the finals, they have some guys who can really take a game away from you pretty quickly.”