ST GEORGE’S College and Papine High are through to the final of the 2017 Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA)/Grace Shield cricket final after their two-day semi-final encounters ended on Friday.

The final is schedule to be played from Tuesday through Thursday at the Melbourne Cricket Club, Melbourne Oval, Courtney Walsh Drive, beginning at 10:00 am each day.

St George’s College defeated high-riding Wolmer’s Boys’ by 11 runs to top Group F with 14 points, though their opponents also finished on 14 points. St George’s College edged the tie-breaker on account of beating Wolmer’s Boys’ in the semis.

Meanwhile, Papine finished on top of Group ‘E’ with 13 points ahead of Innswood High with 11 points in the drawn match at Chedwin Park on Friday. Rain prevented any further play after tea with Innswood needing 115 runs to win outright.

It was also a dramatic win for the North Street-based “Light blues” when they managed to get the last Wolmer’s wickets without a run scored after needing only 12 runs to win the match, but collapsed in the end to some tight and accurate spin bowling.

Right-arm off spinner Vauvai Bailey was the destroyer of Wolmer’s second innings, capturing six wickets for 23 runs off 11 overs, and he was well supported by off-spinner Kirk McKenzie, who took four wickets for 23 runs off 12 overs.

Assistant coach of St George’s College, John Gordon, said it was a very dramatic win,.

“We only gave them 65 runs to get to win the match, but when Wolmer’s wickets began tumbling I saw where St George’s had a chance of winning which they pulled it off with one session remaining,” Gordon said.

Gordon said he knew that St George’s had the bowling attack to hit back and they bowled excellently. “We were looking to make over 200 runs and give Wolmer’s at least 150 to chase for victory, but they crumbled in the end to our spinners.”

Meanwhile, losing coach of Wolmer’s, Gibbs Williams, said from the first day of the match he saw that things would have happened as it rained half of Tuesday.

“With a 97-run lead, I did not expect St George’s to make so many runs in their second innings. Looking at the nature of the pitch, and the spinners taking majority of the wickets, anything could have happened and also the boys batted poorly,” Williams said.

He congratulated St George’s on their fighting victory in what was a well-played match.

Scores in the match: St George’s 108 all out in their first innings, with Kemani Wilson 45, Kirk McKenzie 24, against Rajiv Redji with nine for 56 off 16 overs.

In reply Wolmer’s made 205 all out with Yash Amin 39, Matthew Francis 35, Stephen Pink 30, Andrew Thompson 30, against Gareth Holmes with four for 43, supported by McKenzie with three for 50.

In their second innings St George’s could only muster 162 all out with Joel Ewan topscoring with 41, McKenzie added 30, and Nicholas Lewin, 27, against Michael Meggs with three for 56, Marlon Pearce with two for 16, Andrew Thompson two for 30, and Redhi two for 45, Wolmer’s were then sent packing for 54 all out, as Vaunai Bailey grabbed six for 23, and McKenzie supported with four for 23.

Meanwhile, Innswood needed to beat Papine outright to make it into the final without their opponents earning a point. Prior to the start of the two-day encounter, Papine had 12 points, while Innswood had eight points.

Despite Innswood gaining first innings points, rain fell during the tea time interval and continued steadily before the umpires made a decision involving both captains, that no further play was possible, this calling off the match as a draw.

Papine’s head coach Shane Brooks said he was very elated about reaching the final for the first time. “We missed making it in 2015 when we lost out by one point.

“The players have been playing some good cricket this season and we had put in some hard work. Though heavy rain ended the match in a draw, our plan was to defend the 115 runs which Innswood would have needed to win the match,” Brooks said.

Losing coach Kirk Gordon said he was very disappointed not to have won the match as the players could have easily got the 115 runs needed for victory.

Papine batted first and made 188 all out with Andre bailey scoring 55, Orande Perason 55, and Raymond Hall 36, as Javane Royal took four wickets for 58 runs.

Innswood began their reply on Tuesday, and at the close were in a very strong position: 198 for two wickets. Innswood went on to make 253 for seven wickets declared with centuries from Javane Royal 109 and Carlos Brown 117, while Kishawn Graham took five for 64.

Papine, trailing by 64 runs, batted a second time and scored 193 all out, a lead of 115. The principal contributors were David Brown with 53, Hall with 44, against Royal who took five wickets for 58 runs.