Greg Buckley takes six wickets as RSL Colts score RSL Whitney Cup grand final win over CYMS

The powerhouse club returned to the pinnacle of Dubbo cricket on the weekend after a comfortable RSL Whitney Cup grand final win over CYMS.

The victory was set-up on Saturday, as a six-wicket haul from man of the match Greg Buckley helped knock over the Cougars for just 128.

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Despite a couple of wobbles, Colts was in control at 4/86 at stumps and then it took little time on Sunday for the men in red to wrestle the title back from CYMS.

Colts have now won two of the three straight grand finals against the Cougars while Sunday's victory also means the club has finished champions in 12 of the past 19 first grade seasons.

"As we get a bit older as a squad I think they mean more and more because you don't know which one could be your last," Colts captain Marty Jeffrey said after the win.

"It's great to cap it off with a win like that against a side who came really hard and it was a tough game of cricket out there.

"Everyone felt the pressure and those are the ones you want to win."

Buckley echoed that sentiment, the victory a satisfying one for the Englishman after he returned to Colts this season after a few years away from Dubbo.

"It's always a different feeling with the different boys around you but at the end of the day it's still a magical feeling we all love," he said.

As many expected pre-game, Buckley and fellow Colts spinner Mitch Bower got through plenty of overs for Colts after CYMS won the toss and batted.

On a wicket that offered a little bit for the bowlers, CYMS made a steady start but lost Dan Holland (7) and Harry Bayliss (10) to seamers Parth Bassi and Bede Young respectively.

Buckley then entered the attack and picked up the big wicket of Thomas Nelson after the CYMS rock smacked a full toss to Ant Atlee.

The Englishman also removed CYMS captain Ben Knaggs for 3 and then claimed the all-important scalp of Tom Barber, who had looked in cruise control on his way to 34 from 53 balls before hitting one back to the bowler.

Bower chimed in with 2/39 from 14 overs but it was all about Buckley, who finished with 6/36 from 16.3 overs.

With all the talk pre-game about the quality of CYMS three-pronged pace attack of Knaggs, Bailey Edmunds and Matt Purse, Jeffrey was delighted to see his own bowlers deliver when it mattered.

"Our bowling attack hasn't stood out all year but they've done a job and Greg stood up and took six-fa and he was awesome," Jeffrey said, before speaking about the former Western Zone and Orana Outlaws all-rounder's return to the club.

"It's awesome to have someone with that much experience around the club and he's got that bit of an aura and the confidence he gives other guys is massive.

"The way he can contribute with the bat, ball and in the field is a great addition to the team."

Both Jeffrey and Buckley admitted it was tempting to try and win on Saturday and reach the target in the 24 overs remaining in the day.

Those plans took a bit of a hit - and CYMS was up and about - when Chris Morton (6) and Brad Cox (1) fell before the score was 10.

Buckley - who was dropped by keeper Jake Settree when he was just 4 - looked in the mood when he came to the crease and was particularly harsh on any delivery that strayed onto his pads.

He raced to 30 from 28 balls before he was removed by the impressive Purse, who also knocked over Bower (16) just before stumps to give CYMS belief.

However, it wasn't to be as Colts upped the run-rate early on Sunday and secured the win inside an hour of the restart.

Jeffrey made a composed 47 not out from 93 balls while Atlee finished on 26 not out.

"It's an awesome feeling," Jeffrey said.

"Every year us and CYMS are competitive squads and we know each other are going to be raring to go and it just comes down to the day and I feel like we executed our plans pretty well yesterday (Saturday).

"It would have been nice (to win on Saturday) but credit to Knaggsy and the CYMS attack, they bowled really well.

"We knew we had the time and overs up our sleeve. I think the way we went about it was awesome."

For Knaggs and his players, it was a shattering feeling after the high of last summer's grand final triumph.

The captain admitted his side was below its best on the biggest day of the season and a total of just 128 was always going to be challenging to defend.

"We weren't quite at our best, especially batting-wise and to only put 128 on the board was a bit disappointing," Knaggs said.

"We had a chat about someone in the top five going on to get a big one and that didn't quite happen and they (Colts) bowled well and to their plans.

"We just weren't up to it with out batting but I thought when we came out late on Saturday our bowlers were up to scratch.

"Our three-pace attack is definitely one of the best in Western Zone so to come out and take four wickets early and give it a shake-up was a good comeback and it was a good effort."

Knaggs said there was still plenty of belief within the side when play resumed on Sunday but a few expensive overs was all it took to send Colts to glory.

"It's a grand final and anything could have happened but Marty (Jeffrey) was too good and that was it."

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