Victoria’s highest grade of amateur cricket has witnessed what might be its most remarkable grand final ever, after Carlton produced a comeback for the ages to stun Casey South Melbourne for a famous Premier Cricket title.

In the three-day final, the Blues were gone for all money after being bowled out for 171 in their first innings in reply to the Swans’ 212, with Sri Lankan-born Ruwantha Kellepotha, who has represented Victoria in List A cricket as well as for the Melbourne Renegades in the BBL, taking 5/67.

Premier Cricket rules state the team with the highest score after the first innings is adjudged the winner – unless the team behind can win via a rarely seen ‘reverse-outright’ after a completed second innings for both teams.

Needing only to avoid that fate, the Swans seemed safe at 3/95 early on Day 3 of the match, with young gun and frequent Victorian Sheffield Shield representative Ashley Chandrasinghe backing up his first innings 53 by grinding his way to what seemed a title-securing century.

But a four-wicket haul from Blues quick Cameron Stevenson ensured plenty of late drama; despite Chandrasinghe remaining immovable by carrying his bat for a 263-ball 103, wickets fell at the other end as the Swans were bowled out for 209.

The equation left for the Blues, led by club legend and former Victorian representative Evan Gulbis, was a daunting one: they required 250 runs off 36 overs for a reverse outright win, at a rate of nearly seven runs per over.

But riding their luck and crashing boundaries galore, Gulbis and son of a gun Mackenzie Harvey would threaten the impossible, putting on an 88-run opening stand in just nine overs of Bazball-esque mayhem before Harvey was caught at deep cover for a 31-ball 36.

From there, the Blues were unstoppable, Gulbis blitzing 62 off just 36 balls to inspire his team to a famous seven-wicket victory, remarkably reaching the daunting target with more than five overs to spare as the horrified Swans saw their title snatched away.

All up, the Blues crunched 18 fours and 10 sixes – made all the more astonishing by the absence of any fielding restrictions.

“Carlton have produced what must be the greatest grand final win in men’s Premier Cricket history!” cried commentator Adam White as all-rounder Connor Rutland pulled the winning boundary through mid-wicket.

“Jubilation for the Blue baggers – absolute heartbreak and despair for Casey South Melbourne.”

An emotional Gulbis was left in tears on the sidelines at the extraordinary result.

Adding to the heartbreak, the Swans were looking to end a 56-year wait for a Premier Cricket title, having last won, as South Melbourne, in 1967-68. It would have been their first since relocating to Casey Fields in 2005.

It’s the first time a team has won a Victorian Premier Cricket grand final via reverse outright since Fitzroy 1953/54, a wait of exactly 70 years.

Chandrasinghe was awarded the John Scholes Medal as player of the final for his 156 runs across two innings – but it wasn’t enough for the success-starved Swans.

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