BDCA: Dalyellup sail through to grand final with six-wicket preliminary final win over Hay Park

Dalyellup sailed through to the Bunbury and Districts Cricket Association men’s first-grade grand final on the back of a comfortable six-wicket victory over Hay Park in the preliminary final at Dalyellup College on Saturday.

Another brilliant Bradman May innings of 79 not out from 102 deliveries saw the hosts run down the Redbacks’ modest target of 129 in the 36th over.

An 11th score of more than 50 from May for the season has seen his aggregate tick into four digits, with the wicketkeeper-batter having now amassed 1034 runs at an average of 64.63.

The result confirms a long-awaited clash between reigning premiers Colts and last year’s beaten grand finalists in the season decider, which will take place across Saturday and Sunday.

The final takes on a two-day format, with the sides to play across four innings made up of 50 overs apiece.

Adam Bilston’s early departure for seven from 14 deliveries at the start of Dalyellup’s batting innings saw Vinnie Poller join May and the pair promptly all but made a certainty of the result with an 89-run second-wicket partnership.

May scored at a rate not far short of a run-a-ball while Poller was more patient, making his way to 30 from 83 deliveries before chipping a return catch to Lucas Pedrochi.

The off spinner followed up by bowling both Jaymes Thomas for two and Jaxon Cornford for seven to finish with figures of 3-33 from 5.4 overs despite the inevitability of the result.

In the first innings, Dalyellup’s seam attack of Zane Verhaaf (3-26 from eight overs), Liam Renton (2-36 from eight overs) and Brandon O’Rourke (1-39 from 10 overs) ran riot early, knocking over five Hay Park batters inside the first 15 overs.

The Redbacks’ star Michael Tassone stood tall through the carnage until he chipped a catch into the covers off Verhaaf to depart for 32 from 45 deliveries, leaving his side in deep trouble at 7-57.

All-rounder Kaelan Skoda set about the rebuild task, putting together a 64-run ninth-wicket stand with Jaice Benzie (24 from 44 balls) to ensure the visitors would post something of a target.

An ill-advised attempt at a quick single saw No.11 Shaun Bulman run out without scoring to bring Hay Park’s innings to an end in the 35th over, with Skoda finishing 41 not out from 56 deliveries.