by Samuel Laffy
Western Park (8/94) def. Ex Students (75)
Western Park emerged as the champions of Gippsland in their Kookaburra Cup encounter with Latrobe Valley side Ex Students, Warriors tyro Gavin Roulston highlighting his immense talent with a stunning all-round effort that helped his side seal a 19-run win.
On a tricky wicket that thoroughly tested the technique of the batters, Western Park's talented line-up was at sea against the likes of James Pryde (3/15 from 4) and Lee Stockdale (3/16 off 4), with the Ex Students attack displaying the skill that has seen them be one of the more successful sides in Gippsland of late.
Roulston, however, seemed largely untroubled by the conditions, compiling a wonderful 52 and often looking as though he was batting on an entirely different wicket to his teammates.
His frisky innings helped the Warriors to 8/94, a total that in most T20s would be easily chaseable, but the two-paced wicket meant attacking was fraught with danger.
Jack Walsh (3/16 from 4) quickly had Ex Students on the back foot, claiming the highly sought after scalp of Stockdale for just five and followed up by removing Rick Battista for two, before the Western Park spinners took their chance to stymie scoring.
Ben Clarke (1/11 from 4), Jason Croft (0/10 off 3), and Roulston (3/13 from 2.5) turned the screws and induced mistake after mistake, with only Michael Stockdale (17) and Daniel Trease (11) able to make it double figures.
With the required run rate quickly rising the final wickets fell in a flurry, with Ex Students dismissed for 75 in the 19th over.