St Pat's Old Boys crowned 2021-22 Bathurst Orange Inter District Cricket premiers

Saints took down the Bathurst Orange Inter District Cricket minor premiership-winning Cavaliers at Wade Park on Saturday by 23 runs to do the double this eason, after they downed the Orange club in the the final of the Bonnor Cup last month.

Brien, who put in a man of the match performance with 72 off 63 balls to help his side finish their innings at 8-224, was thrilled with the result.

"It's a pretty special day, winning a first grade premiership. This sought of thing doesn't happen very often, so when it does it's all the more special," Brien said.

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"I was just looking to be busy, keep ticking the strike over and do my role. I was seeing the ball pretty well so I thought we were a chance of a good score.

"It was pretty nervous when it was crunch time, I thought it could go either way but our bowlers stood up. They've done it all year and they did it again today."

Things didn't start off great for the Bathurst outfit after Saints star Nic Broes was run out for just six by Wes Lummis, before Cooper Brien (seven) fell to the bowling of Harry Pearce.

Connor Slattery's arrival at the crease helped the visitors pick up the pace, but when he fell for 40, St Pat's were 4-111 with just 17 overs remaining.

Bailey Brien was then aided by knocks from Adam Ryan (26) and Angus Parsons (16 not out off nine balls), to help set a tricky total. Harry Pearce (3-43) finished with the best figures for the minor premiers.

Things couldn't have gotten off to a worse start for Cavs with the bat however, as they slumped to 3-7 in the run chase.

This brought skipper Matt Corben and Bailey Ferguson (19) together who got them back in the game with a 44-run partnership.

Lummis came into bat with the departure of Ferguson and continued to score at a good clip. He and Corben saw the total sail past 130, but the duo would soon depart in quick succession, first Lummis for 53 and then Corben for 51.

All hope looked lost for Cavs when Hugh Middleton went out to bat, but that was far from the case.

He smashed a run-a-ball 43, but needing to score at ten an over, he holed out in the deep with Cavs on 201 to seal the win for St Pat's.

"They were very good in the finals this year and really good in the big games," Corben said of the victors.

"To get minor premiers is a massive achievement but we just couldn't get it done in the big dance.

"For Hugh Middleton to get us to 200 after we were three for crap all was a really good dig. St Pat's were just too good."

Matt Fearnley (3-40) and Angus Parsons (3-33) were given the arduous task of bowling at the death and executed to perfection.

"That's just my job to bowl. I knew we had to bowl at the stumps. We had to get wickets and I thought Gus bowled unreal," Fearnley said.

"I've played for the club for ten years now. We've had a Bathurst first grade comp win but to get the BOIDC is just absolutely unreal.

"A lot of juniors in this club are all patch juniors, so to play first grade with them and see them come up through the ranks is an honour."

Fearnley doubled up on trophies, as he was also awarded the bowling honour for most wickets in the season.

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