We're off to the 'Big Dance':Essendon edge past St.Kilda to make Grand Final.

Essendon will play Footscray Edgewater in this season's Bartercard Victorian Premier League final after out muscling St.Kilda in their semi-final at the Junction Oval. The Bombers needed 225 for victory on the second day and managed to survive an early scare to reel in the total with three wickets to spare. A match winning un-broken partnership of 79 between Clint McKay, 61no, and Nish Perera, 32no, sees Essendon reach their first final since the 2000-2001 season; their last premiership way back in the 1969-1970 season.

 

 

St.Kilda set the Bombers a modest total on day one after losing prime movers Peter Handscomb, 23, Rob Quiney, 36, and Matthew Chasemore, 13, before they had reached the century mark.

Essendon's bowlers found the overcast conditions to their liking having the Saints in trouble at 4-82 after the first session. A 56-run partnership between Andrew McGuiness, 38, and skipper Graeme Rummans, 62, saw the Saints recover slightly before McGuiness was bowled by Solomon Mire and then keeper Damon Rowan quickly followed when he tickled one through to counterpart Aaron Ayre off McKay for five. Lachlan Graf, 19, combined with Rummans to add another 56 to lift St.Kilda above 200. McKay, 4-46 and Matt Doric, 3-51 were the pick of the Bomber bowlers while Mire chimed in with 2-31, including the all important partnership breaker of McGuiness.

The Saints would have been hoping for steady rain or steady wickets on day two. They got the later early with the Bombers struggling at 5 for 108. When Fletcher Stewart was caught behind of Graf for two the Bomber fans were biting their fingernails at 7 for 142. However with McKay still at the wicket and a determined Perera they were able to see off the Saint's bowlers and progress to the grand stage. Apart from the McKay and Perera partnership, valuable contributions were made by Ayre, 38, and Shane McNamara, 41. Graf was superb for the Saints finishing with 4-38 off twenty overs including eight maidens.

Essendon finished sixteenth in last year's competition, just four spots lower than their opponents next weekend. The two most improved sides in the league will now look to add some long overdue silverware to the trophy cabinet.
For full results log onto the Victorian Premier League website.