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The summer of WACA Premier Cricket came to a head over the weekend, with Perth claiming the 1st Grade premiership with a 212 run Grand Final win over Bayswater-Morley at Lilac Hill.
The Bears won the toss and chose to bowl on a wicket that offered some assistance to the seam bowlers, but state-contracted opener Sam Fanning showed his quality, compiling 123 from 197 deliveries.
The Demons' momentum stalled towards the back end of the day after Fanning’s dismissal, but a total of 283 from 85.2 overs still shaped as highly competitive, with captain Jono Wells the last man dismissed for 71 from 164 balls.
Ashley Jeffrey was excellent for the Bears, grabbing 4 for 68 from 20.2 overs, while captain Kyle Wiggers (3/72 from 23 overs) led from the front.
The Bears elected to use two nightwatchman in the two overs they were required to face before stumps, with Jeffrey and Liam O’Connor getting through unscathed.
Sunday belonged to the Demons, who routed the Bears for just 71 in 38.5 overs, with Ethan Carrington (4/9 from 10 overs) and Liam Pratt (3/22 from 12.5 overs) the main destroyers with the ball.
Fanning claimed player of the match honours to cap off a strong season, making 698 runs at an average of 58.17, while Wells’ 1059 runs at an average of 105.9 will have him in strong contention for the Olly Cooley medal.
The win breaks a seven-decade drought for the Demons, with the club most recently claiming a 1st Grade pennant as the East Perth Cricket Club in the 1948/49 season.
In the 2nd Grade, Willetton beat Midland-Guildford by eight wickets at Breckler Park, with Brock Larance claiming player of the match honours for taking 2 for 35 from his 23 overs with the ball and making 61 from 38 balls with the bat.
The Dragons also won the 3rd Grade title, beating Wanneroo by 54 runs at Abbett Park, while Subiaco-Floreat defeated Rockingham-Mandurah at the same venue in the 4th Grade.
IMAGE: FILE