Cavaliers defeat Rugby Union by 30 runs in Royal Hotel Bonnor Cup final with Kyle Buckley awarded the Carl Sharpe medal

It's the Cavaliers identity and the club's extraordinary success in the Royal Hotel Bonnor Cup entered a new chapter with a 2022/23 championship victory against Rugby Union at Wade Park.

The win is redemption for the side after a nine-wicket loss to St Pat's in last year's edition and captain Bailey Ferguson was delighted to have returned silverware to his squad after losses in the T20 competition and BOIDC grand final last year.

"It's good, it gets the monkey off our backs," he said.

"We lost both last year so it's always good to win this one and couldn't be with a better bunch of blokes."

After winning the toss and batting, Ferguson led the way with his opening partner Matt Corben, with the two smashing 85 runs in the first 10 overs to start the game brilliantly.

Ferguson (30) and Corben (49) then fell in the same over to Yousuf Qureshi who put Cavaliers in a significant hole when they became 4/90 in the 13^th over.

Hugh Middleton (16) and Gus Cumming (13) offered some stability in the middle order to get Cavaliers to 7/132 from its 20 overs.

Qureshi finished the best of the bowlers with 2/13 off four overs.

Chasing a total under lights was always going to be difficult for Rugby Union, and it couldn't have got off to a worse start when Sam Macpherson was caught behind first ball off Kyle Buckley.

Buckley then had his second victim with captain Ryan Peacock caught at slip for 2.

In the lead up to the game, Corben said the best fielding side would win the match, and despite his team dropping a catch earlier, they made up for it with a direct hit run out removing the dangerous Tanvir Singh for 29 with Rugby now 3/49 off eight overs.

From there it was all downhill with wickets consistently flowing, mainly through Wes Lummis who finished with 3/9 in a sensational effort as Rugby limped to 8/103, delivering Cavaliers the title once again.

Ferguson agreed the start from his side ultimately proved the difference.

"The power-play is massive and if you can get through unscathed without any wickets, even one, and keep the scoreboard ticking over which me and Corbs have done all year (then you'll do well)," he said.

"We pride ourselves on our start and did exactly what we spoke out tonight so it was awesome."

Player of the match honours went to Corben for his efforts with the bat while the Carl Sharpe medallist for player of the series was Kyle Buckley.

Buckley's 3/20 throughout the match proved pivotal from his side, and his skipper believes he was more than deserving of the award.

"He's been amazing with the new rock and taken the best sticks in every game so I couldn't fault him, he's been amazing," Ferguson said.

"He's been probably our key this year, with the new rock he's taken it in his stride and did it again tonight."

Ferguson added the victory will provide his side with much needed momentum heading into the BOIDC finals, with one round left to play against Bathurst City Colts at Loco Oval.

"It's massive, I know we don't have George and Gus (Cumming) for the rest of the year but it's a group mentality," he said.

"We have confidence going into the finals and it's a whole different ball game."

Considering the history Cavaliers have with the Royal Hotel Bonnor Cup, it was somewhat timely for the side to win as the competition says goodbye to a significant era.

Sponsorship will no longer come from the Royal Hotel, ending a 19-year association.

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