Forbes High School have earned a week’s rest and will defend their Forbes cricket A-grade premiership next Saturday, after finishing on top of the competition ladder last weekend.
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High School comfortably accounted for Post Office Hotel in last Saturday’s final round match at Grinsted Oval, completing an unblemished run through the competition’s 15 rounds.
The feat gave them automatic qualification for the A-grade grand final, scheduled for next Saturday at South Circle.
They will play either Masterstroke Painters or Golf and Sportsman’s Hotel Tigers, who finished second and third respectively after last weekend’s games.
The second and third placed sides will meet this afternoon in the first semi-final at South Circle, with the winner going into A-grade and the loser to the B-grade grand final.
The other team in next Saturday’s B-grade decider will be either Post Office or VC Reid, who ended the season in fourth and fifth position and play today at Grinsted Oval.
Post Office will be looking to bounce back and to end VC Reid’s season after a seven wicket loss to High School last Saturday.
An under-strength Post Office won the toss last week and batted first, compiling just 46.
Matt Roylance (18) and Steve Mark (18) revived the innings after an early collapse but with only 10 men, Postie failed to mount a more competitive tally with Ray O’Brien and Mick Ondrovcik both taking three wickets for High School.
Opening bowlers Jarrod Nicholson and Jamie Hoswell also took one wicket each.
High School made a good start and looked to be cruising to victory but Post Office did cause some nervous moments, taking three quick top order wickets.
Despite tight bowling by Steve Mark and Simon Flynn, High School hit the winning runs in the 13th over with Jason Hoswell (11) and Selwyn Bale (13) the not out batsmen.
Today’s semi-finals are both 40-over matches and will be played on the turf wickets at Grinsted and South Circle ovals.
