CRICKET
A patient half century with the bat and a six wicket haul with the ball from Liam Tully saw Richmond upset Bligh Park in the Hawkesbury first grade grand final.
Bligh Park, who finished the regular season as minor premiers, were looking to down Richmond for a fourth time having registered three victories, a loss and a washout from the five meetings between the teams this season.
Richmond skipper Chris Barwick won the toss and sent Bligh Park in at Owen Earle Oval on Saturday and Tully proved his captain had made the right call.
Tully took 6-26 from his 16.3 overs to help bundle the favourites out for 121.
Tully then starred with the bat, as the opener hit six boundaries in his knock of 70.
He was still there when Richmond passed the Bligh Park total on Sunday as they went on to post 6-182.
Mitch Tully also made 48 with the bat for Richmond.
A Robbie Woodhouse knock of 57 helped Bligh Park claim the second grade decider against Freemans Reach.
Freemans Reach were bowled out for 115 before Bligh Park made 5/231 in reply to claim victory.
Ben Cain took 5-31 for North Richmond but it wasn’t enough to get his team over the line in the third grade final against Pitt Town Sports.
Pitt Town Sports made 171 in their first innings before they bowled North Richmond out for 95.
Maroota won the fourth grade final outright against North Richmond, Bligh Park beat Richmond in fifths while Richmond and Freemans Reach claimed the sixth and seventh grade deciders respectively.
*Hawkesbury’s third grade team were eliminated from the Sydney Grade Cricket finals after they lost their qualifying final outright to Manly-Warringah.
Hawks skipper Dean Laing won the toss and sent the hosts in at Graham Reserve on Saturday.
Manly were bowled out for 179 with Daniel Brown taking 5-51.
In reply, Hawkesbury were rolled for 146, with Steven Gavin top scoring with 38.
But the visitors weren’t going down without a fight and bundled Manly out for 110 in their second dig.
Anthony Kershler took 4-21 while Brown added another three wickets to his tally giving him eight for the match.
Hawkesbury then required 143 off 27 overs to force an outright result and, despite scoring at the required rate, a steady fall of wickets saw them skittled for 85.
