Dirty Dozen end their 15-year drought

The Dirty Dozen Cricket Club ended a 15-year drought with a five-wicket victory over Mangrove in the 2011 Cricket grand final at Male Oval on Saturday.

The Dozen played brilliantly in the finals to oust their more favoured rivals to win their first premiership since 1996.

Dozen captain Scott Hanna won the toss and sent Mangrove in to bat.

Mangrove lost Corey Knox early before disaster struck, when their major play-makers captain Dean Holder and Farley Murton were both run out.

This left the Mangrove innings in tatters, with only 16-year-old Rowan Powell playing well beyond his years, holding their innings together as wickets fell around him.

Mangrove was eventually all out for 77 in the 32nd over.

Powell top scored for Mangrove with 28, while no other batsman made double figures. The Dozen were led by Mitch Smith who finished with the imposing figures of 3 for 8, while Hanna continued his good form with 2 for 8, Dan Nicholas took 1 for 8 and Anthony Collopy 1 for 18.

The Dozen innings hit an early snag when Smith was dismissed by Murton with the second ball of the innings. Nicholas then became the backbone of the Dozen innings as they chased down the small total set by Mangrove.

Although the Dozen lost another four wickets on their way to winning the game in the 25th over, the result was never really in doubt. Nicholas top scored for the Dozen with 40 and was later named man of the match.

For the Mangrove Murton always looked dangerous taking 2 for 23 while Brad Lovell took 2 for 8 and Holder 1 for 15.