By Rob Boxell
Women’s vs Norwood
Junction travelled to Norwood in a 1st vs 2nd clash looking to make it 5 wins on the spin. Skipper Carly Millar won the bat flip and chose to bowl first given the side’s recent successes and it got off to a great start when Mille Kuth clean bowled the Norwood opener to leave them 1/1. A small partnership developed, and Tara Wilson struck bowling out ex-Junction player Alyssa Ford for 14 to leave them 2/41. Another good partnership from Norwood propelled them to 90 before the league’s leading wicket-taker Bec Brown struck removing the league’s leading run scorer Kylie- Ann Rule thanks to a great catch from Kuth. Some wayward bowling didn’t help Junction as Norwood closed on 3/117 with skipper Katelyn Tucker making a well-made 40*.
Lisa Hilton and Kuth opened the batting, and it didn’t start off well with Kuth bowled for 4 before a 44-run partnership between Hilton and Carly Millar put Junction back in the hunt before Hilton chipped one to the bowler for 13. Rachel Pilton came in and rotated well before skipper Millar was bowled for a well-made 17. Pilton was joined by Maddie Bennett and the pair both tried to up the run rate before Pilton was run out for 16. Bennett batted beautifully for a well-made 10* which included her first-ever boundary.
Yarra Junction 4/103 (C Millar 17, R Pilton 15) def by Norwood 3/117
4th XI vs Healesville
After two weeks without a game, the 4th XI finally got out on the park. Batting first, Yarra Junction put on a respectable total of 137 with Jack Bishop making 37. It wasn’t their day in the end as Healesville chased down the total within 18 overs.
Yarra Junction 10/137 (J Bishop 37, B Clarke 22) def by Healesville 1/144 (D Lever 1/0)
3rd XI vs Coldstream
Looking to make it three on the trot, the 3rd XI won the toss and chose to bat first with Rob Boxell and Tyson Gaskett. The first wicket fell at 22 with Gaskett departing for 12. Newcomer David Tolley was able to put on 40 run partnership with Boxell before being dismissed for 16. This bought Caleb Hrabe to the crease, playing his first game for Yarra Junction in over a year. At the drinks break the score was 2/98 with Boxell on 37 and Hrabe 36. Boxell went third ball after the drinks break and couple of quick wickets followed. Mitch Yeoman walked out to the crease with the only job to get Hrabe on strike and enjoy the fireworks. Hrabe was a man on a mission as he was able to bring his maiden century up with eight balls to spare. He topped off a tremendous innings with a 6 smashing the windscreen of the captain’s car. Yarra Junction set 213 to win with Hrabe finishing 110 not out. Opening the bowling with Brad Nightingale and Sean Vanderhyde, the Yarra Junction bowling attack bowled tight with defensive fields, making it extremely hard for the Coldstream batsmen to get the boundaries they desperately needed. As the required run rate grew, victory was in sight. Although only losing 2 wickets, Coldstream fell 40 runs short after their allotted 35 overs. This sees YJ 3rd XI win their third game on the trot and go to third place on the ladder. Yarra Junction 5/213 (C Hrabe 110*, R Boxell 37) def Coldstream 2/173 (R Boxell 2/22)
2nd XI vs Coldstream
The seconds travelled to Coldstream for their fourth-round encounter. Losing the toss and bowling first, the Yarra Junction bowling attack was on point early on as they were able to bowl Coldstream out for 137. Beau Hawkins was the best of the Junction bowlers with 3 for 16 off his seven overs, whilst Jack Jenkinson continued his form with another three wickets.
Coming out to bat and if not for youngsters Rylan Bomford and AJ Druitt, Yarra Junction could’ve been looking at a record-low score. Bowled out for 79, the boys will look to regroup this week and turn things around.
Yarra Junction 10/79 (R Bomford 19, A Druitt 18) def by Coldstream 10/144 (B Hawkins 3/16, J Jenkinson 3/19)
1st XI vs Seville
Coming off their first win last week, the ones were keen to make it two in a row against Seville. Bowling first, it was a solid team performance with each bowler chipping in. The best of the bowlers was Jordan
Poynton with 3 for 27, whilst Rhys Matthews, Kevin Bomford and Ant Davis each took 2. Set a total of 154 to chase, Yarra Junction go into the break 1 for 15 overnight with Nick Bark and Ant Davis at the crease.
Yarra Junction 1/15 vs Seville 10/154 (J Poynton 3/27)
