The A-Team stormed into the MCC 1st Division Grand Final in style with a crushing 121 run victory in the semi final played at home at Scotch versus Old Caulfield.
Winning the toss (Mattie Grose is freakish at calling correctly), the Scotchies batted first and compiled an excellent 6 for 198. Shearer scored a wonderful 45, and along with Matt Mitchell and Tim Hosking who scored 42 each and Tom Murray with 30. 198 on a surprisingly sluggish Main Oval out field was as good as a 240-250 score on any other day. In a finals match, it was an incredibly good score, just how good, would not be known until Old Caulfield had batted as well.
And with each Old Caulfield wicket, the A-Team score looked safer and safer. The Old Scotch bowlers have been in brilliant form for most of the season and they strangled Old Caulfield like a boa constrictor. Old Caulfield were skittled for 77 with Sam Shearer completing a fine all around game with 3 for 23, including one wicket in rather unfortunate circumstances, when a Shearer bouncer caught the helmetless batman by surprise striking him in the face and as he recoiled in pain he trod onto his stumps to be out hit wicket. A shaken Shearer checked with the Old Caulfield's batsman's health, who assured him he was OK.
An emphatic victory by 121 runs was the perfect tune up for this week's grand final against...
OLD XAVIER.
Yes. It doesn't get any bigger than this. Cancel all appointments. Cancel your wedding, cancel everything that is not life threatening...and even then, cancel that too, because this is BIG.
Old Xavier in any sport need no invitation to try and rain on Old Scotch's parade. So contact all your old Scotch comrades...by telephone, by telegram, by SMS, by carrier pigeon, because this Saturday will be biblical. A Grand Final match between old rivals Old Scotch versus Old Xavier. You can bet they are whipping themselves into a frenzy over at Barkers Road as we speak!
Make your way to Scotch College Main Oval this Saturday, because this will be a day to remember! If you have Cardinal, Gold and Blue blood pumping through your veins, this is a match not to be missed.
Until then...