Melbourne secures one-day title

Having captured the Twenty20 crown against St Kilda last month, the Demons usurped Prahran, the defending champions in both limited overs formats, after stifling the True Blues with the ball and then showing maturity against a quality attack in their chase.

Having won the toss and elected to bat, the True Blues were on the back foot from the outset as Commonwealth Bank Bushrangers all-rounder Alex Keath (2-35) struck twice with the new ball including the dangerous Daniel Salpietro for 14.

Wickets continued to tumble, with Simon De Bolfo the only top-order batsman to contribute, reaching 30 before he fell to Brenton McDonald (2-17) to leave the defending champions reeling at 5-71.

The demise of Victorian second XI all-rounder Steve Seymour (six) just four runs later courtesy of left-arm spinner Sean Sturrock (1-29) was a further blow, but a 54-run partnership between True Blues skipper Sam Coates (35 off 63 balls) and Nick Morrey (19 off 66 balls) at least gave them something to bowl at.

Matt Wilcox added a quick-fire 19* (23) at the death, while Rhys Adams 11 (12) provided a brief cameo before he became the second of Pat Smith’s (2-42) two victims, with the True Blues finishing at 9-168.

In reply, the Demons lost skipper Andrew Kent for a duck via Seymour, who claimed 3-49, but were anchored by opener Matthew Brown.

Brown struck four boundaries and two sixes during his 107-ball stay in the middle before Seymour returned to claim his wicket.

Partnerships of 80 and 75 with Keath (30) and Robert Cooper (43) ensured the chase would be comfortably hunted down before some cheap wickets at the death saw the Demons clinch victory with five wickets in hand and 35 balls to spare.

To see a full scorecard from the one-day final, click here.