Geraldton's finals hopes dashed

Geraldton's hopes of making the Country Week Cricket final are over after a dramatic loss to defending champions Upper Great Southern.

Playing in wintry conditions on Tuesday at Breckler Park, Dianella, Geraldton made 194 after captain John Elliman won the toss and batted.

But it was not enough.

Kendall Ballard was the destroyer for UGS, belting eight sixes and stroking the ball to all parts of the ground to score an unbeaten 84 off 46 balls.

He took his team home with nine overs and two wickets to spare.

"There was nothing we could do to stop him," Elliman said afterwards

For Geraldton, Nigel Routledge (54) top scored and Ross Graham (24), Clint Yeates (24), Glenn Wishart (18) and Jai Russell (18) chimed in.

Brock Francis (6-55) and Aaron Quartermaine (3-26) led the way for the UGS bowling attack.

SCOREBOARD

CCB COUNTRY CRICKET CHAMPIONSHIPS

COUNTRY WEEK

GERALDTON v UPPER GT SOUTHERN

At Breckler Pk (2) Jan 19 2016 Geraldton won toss and batted

GERALDTON

G Wishart c G Francis b B Francis 18

R Graham c B Francis b A Quartermaine 25

N Routledge b B Francis 54

J Russell c Ballard b Hogg 18

C Yeates b B Francis 24

M Robartson b B Francis 9

C Bone b B Francis 0

B O'Brien c McAuliffe b B Francis 10

J Comben not out 13

D Welsh c G Francis b A Quartermaine 11

J Elliman (c) b A Quartermaine 2

12th man: S Evans

Extras: LB 8, W 1, NB 1 10

After 56 overs ALL OUT 194

Fall: 34 Wishart, 70 Graham, 103 Russell, 145 Routledge,

149 Yeates, 149 Bone, 166 Robartson, 169 O'Brien,

192 Welsh, 194 Elliman

Bowling: B Francis 14-2-6-55, G Francis 12-2-0-35,

A Quartermaine 12-2-3-26, K Ballard 10-1-0-41,

M Hogg 4-2-1-7, C Taylor 4-0-0-22.

UPPER GT SOUTHERN

B Hardie c Russell b O'Brien 3

P Quartermaine lbw b O'Brien 12

K Joyce c Elliman b Welsh 16

A Quartermaine c Yeates b Wishart 1

K Ballard c Yeates b Bone 26

J Millar (c) cRussell b Welsh 49

A McAuliffe b Bone 7

K Ballard not out 84

C Taylor lbw b O'Brien 1

G Francis not out 4

B Francis

12th man: M Hogg

Extras: B 1, LB 1 2

After 51 overs EIGHT for 205

Fall: 8 Hardie, 21 P Quartermaine, 22 A Quartermaine, 59 Ballard,

61 Joyce, 90 McAuliffe, 148 Millar, 178 Taylor.

Bowling: B O'Brien 12-2-3-40, S Evans 5-0-0-27,

G Wishart 4.4-1-1-16, C Yeates 2.2-0-0-9,

D Welsh 13-1-2-62, C Bone 14-3-2-49.

Note: Rain stopped play after 51st over

UPPER GT SOUTHERN def GERALDTON by 21 runs