The Ballarat Cricket Association well explore options to decide a tied one-day grand final after the third and deciding one-day A grade match was a tie.
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Under the current rules, the higher ranked side on the home and away ladder is awarded the premiership, which saw Ballarat Fire Brigade claim the flag over Burrumbeet despite scores being level at 8-170 at the conclusion of the 40 overs.
Both teams felt it was a strange way to decide a grand final, but were well aware that that was the rules in which they were playing under.
Nonetheless, it is worth exploring alternative options for future years.
Ballarat Cricket Association Operations Officer Greg Wakeling said replaying the match would be an option, but that could possibly drag on if rain became a factor, which was the case on the weekend.
While a super over is another potential option.
“(We have the super over) in the twenty20s, it’s probably more appropriate (for that format),” Wakeling told The Courier.
“It’s one of those things, because it hasn’t happened we haven’t thought about it that much, but now that it has, we might ask the clubs.”
After being 6-107, Ballarat Fire Brigade needed 40 runs off the last four overs and found quick runs to need only four off the last over with three wickets in hand.
A tight over from Burrumbeet skipper Aaron Wilson saw BFB needing two runs off the final ball, it could not find the bat but snuck through for a single, narrowly avoiding being run out.
Wilson said it was a disappointing way to finish the match and regardless of the fact the current rule did not favour his team on this occasion, he felt the rule should be looked out for the future.
“It’s a bit of a disappointing way to finish,” Wilson said.
“A super over or something – just to get a result – would’ve been better.
“It’s probably something worth looking at for the future.”
Ballarat Fire Brigade’s Clint Ladiges, who top-scored with 48, was open to the idea of it being replayed but was opposed to the super over.
“It’s not hollow, but it’s a pretty different way to win a flag,” Ladiges said.
“It’s a strange outcome, that’s for sure.
“In general, my feel on it is, we’ve played 80 overs so to play a bit of hit and giggle at the end to sort out a premiership wouldn’t be my preference.”
