Ferntree Gully faced three-time winner Murray Valley in the grand final and had Valley on the ropes at 7-89.

But the veteran side formed a key eighth-wicket partnership of 62 before finishing their innings on 9-170.

Gully openers Usman Arif (5-75) and Troy Gstrein (3-37) were their side’s best bowlers.

In response Gully copped terrible misfortune as Wayne McInerney, the carnival’s leading run scorer with 257 runs at 64, was run-out for 29 — Valley bowler Ashley Quinn deflected the ball into the stumps with McInerney out of his ground at the non-strikers end.

Two leg-before-wicket decisions left Gully in trouble and the side never recovered, being bowled out for 101 with Quinn taking 7-43 from 16 overs along with his run out.

Valley’s victory meant they had equalled Rochester’s record of four-straight titles set in 1965.

Gully team manager Craig Wilkinson said his side had faced a much more experienced team.

‘‘We should have bowled them out much sooner after getting them 7-87,’’ he said.

‘‘And once we lost McInerney we never recovered. I think if we had a few more experienced batsmen then we may have got them.’’

‘‘But you can’t take anything away from Murray Valley: they had an experienced side and they bowled very well.’’

Wilkinson commended his young side who had just four players over 26 in the side and several under-23s.

‘‘They will all take something from this carnival and they have all committed to return next year,’’ he said.

‘‘So if we add a couple more experienced heads to our young guys we should be in good shape.’’

McInerney was named FTGDCA’s player of the carnival and finished second in the division 1 player of the carnival award.

Arif (nine wickets) and teammate Aaron Walker (11 wickets) took the most wickets in the competition.

FTGDCA officials commended captain Trent Scholfield and were also proud to see young players Daniel Beyer, Robbie McComb, Jayden Bradbury, Gstrein and Ryan Handley perform at the representative level.

The FTGDCA also plans to field a team in Melbourne Country Week, February 11-17.

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