ROBERTSON-Burrawang's sensation run to the Highlands District Cricket Association first grade grand final has ended in a deflating defeat for the Highlanders.
Forced to bowl first on a "glass top" of a wicket at Kenmore Oval, the Spuds chased leather all Saturday to be set a massive 328 for victory.
Robertson tried hard in their run chase, but it wasn't to be. They were all out for 122.
Robertson skipper Dean Roxburgh said he was extremely proud of his team's season.
The first-season Spud said he would remain with the club "for life".
"This Robbo side plays with a lot of heart and we showed that heart today," he said after yesterday's defeat.
Roxburgh said Robertson's plight of chasing the large total was crippled by umpiring decisions including five LBWs and a dubious caught behind, but he said Tully Park played well and deserved the grand final win.
Tully's dangerous top three, Brad Smith, Justin Rowlings and Mik Webber did the damage with the bat on day one.
Smith and Rowlings opened for the hosts and put on 44 before Smith was out leg-before to Mitchell Wright with the score on 44.
Skipper Webber joined Rowlings and the pair put on 112 runs in less than two hours at the crease.
Robertson never gave up and Roxburgh finally got the breakthrough when Webber was out for 65.
Jason Montgmorey took up where Webber left off and hit a half-century before Rowlings was out for 92.
Tully batted out the rest of the day to be all out for 327 in the 72nd over.
Roxburgh said the conditions were purpose made for batting.
"It was a bad toss to lose because you could see the pitch was going to be an absolute glass top," he said.
"There was absolutely no movement in the wicket all day. It was a road."
The Spuds were confident of chasing the massive total, but their key batsmen struggled to get amongst the runs.
Ben Buffett, Roxburgh and Aaron De Jager were all out cheaply and only Steve Fairbairn (52) showed any real resistance.
Roxburgh and de Jager were among the batsmen listed as leg-before-wicket in the scorebook, while Buffett was given out caught behind.
Tully's Webber and Smith bowled for all three hours on day two. Webber finished with 6-53 while Smith got 4-68.
"This year its' Tully Park's turn, next year the trophy's coming to Robertson," Roxburgh said.
"We've got the team and the heart."
Roxburgh applauded Nathan Ring and James Heart for helping second grade with the title.
He said he had no hard feelings towards the pair for playing with second grade as opposed to firsts.