For the first time in the three Limited Overs Finals that they have contested over the past six seasons, Cape Town won the toss and thus managed to avoid the traditionally hoodoo proposition of having to bat second under lights at Sahara Park Newlands. With Francois Vermaak striking three early boundaries they started reasonably well too, taking 22 from the first five overs. However, gradually some disciplined tight lines by the opening bowlers, coupled with committed and athletic fielding, started to strangle the scoring rate - and necessitated some risk-taking from the batsmen.

Dominic Telo hit two lovely fours in an over to extend his own record-breaking scoring spree beyond 1 000 runs for the season in the final match, and Tom Main also chipped in with another fluent knock. Both sacrificed their wickets trying to get after the gentle medium-pacers of Remee Daniels though, who then also added the scalp of Vermaak with his final delivery to finish with a commendable three for 32 from his nine overs. Vermaak had begun the match needing 51 to become only the third Cape Town First XI batsman in the past 13 seasons to reach 700 runs in a season, and always looked like he would get there. Thus, swinging Daniels for six to reach a 95-ball fifty (his seventh fifty-plus score of the season), he duly achieved the personal milestone - and then holed out on the boundary next ball in trying to repeat the stroke.

With Police's spinners doing a creditable holding job in the middle overs of the innings, with just ten overs remaining Cape Town as a result had still not reached an overall rate of four to the over. Their hopes of thus still reaching a defendable total consequently rested squarely on the shoulders of Kirk Wernars and Lloyd Moore. With Moore turning over the strike regularly, Wernars played the role of aggressor-in-chief, savaging Mark de Stadler as he returned for his second spell to post their fifty partnership in seven overs - while simultaneously reaching his own maiden half-century for Cape Town - from just 39 balls. De Stadler had the last laugh by breaking the stand though, after which Dane Piedt bowled a tight final over with his off breaks that brought two wickets while conceding just four runs.

Although their final tally of 206 was useful, it was still a few less than Cape Town would've felt comfortable defending - and would require a fine effort in the field as well as assistance from the legendary swinging white ball under lights at Newlands to earn the Plumstead-based outfit their first trophy since before unity in the early nineties. The swinging ball did its bit - at least initially - as both Police opening batsmen were dismissed within the first four overs to give Cape Town real hope at ten for two.

Unfortunately however, this would prove to be the zenith of Cape Town's achievements for the night. Surviving an early miscue into the covers, Yaseen Vallie then settled down thereafter in completely unflustered fashion to produce a measured innings that was compiled completely on his own terms. Kyle Schreuder joined him in a fluent and aggressive mood, striking seven fours in eight overs to dominate a 75-run third-wicket stand that took just 15 overs to compile.

With Police thus having stabilised the innings and now nosing ahead, it required a strong comeback from Cape Town to regain the initiative and squelch the scoring rate. Instead though, their bowling lines and ground fielding proved to be as shaky and inconsistent as Police's had been good. With Vallie having established himself as an unmovable presence at the crease, and Cape Town conceding no fewer than twelve wides to boot, they were unable either to build any pressure or to staunch the unceasing flow of runs, and when Police took their batting powerplay they needed less than five an over from the last 14, with six wickets still safely in hand. By then Vallie was in company with his captain Wesley Euley, who initially was quite happy to join him in taking the abundance of ones and twos on offer. Thus Vallie reached an undramatic fifty from 74 balls that contained just two fours, but by occupying one end of the crease since the fourth over he had blocked Cape Town's only real chance of victory - the taking of regular wickets.

All in all therefore, Police had carried just too many guns for Cape Town, and gave them a thorough cricketing lesson. In an entirely different class, they had demonstrated the perfectly professional run chase - composed throughout, and making even more use of aggressive running between the wickets than boundary blows. When the end came though, Police finished it in style - Vallie discarded his composed shell to crack five fours in six balls, ending with an undefeated 80 that still took only 96 balls to compile, while Euley finished matters with two fours and a six off successive balls - racing to 44 from 36 balls in an unfinished fifth-wicket stand of 79 in just eleven overs.

Thus Police confirmed themselves as the dominant team in the Western Province Cricket Association for 2009/10, completing the Double with more than six overs to spare. Beaten but not bowed, Cape Town was left to contemplate their third successive failure to clear the final hurdle in the floodlit finale, and to find consolation in the fact that they had nevertheless completed their finest season by far in well over a decade. It is perhaps fitting that the final word regarding that season should belong to the club's Director of Cricket, Roger Moult: "All of you did CTCC proud tonight. Just getting to Newlands ahead of 18 other 1A/1B sides was a huge feat. Your performance tonight and the entire season was both outstanding and professional. It has been a pleasure being part of your success. Enjoy Easter and your well-deserved break. Thank you for your effort." Amen to that.

Match photo's