First XI
Playing at home again this week, we faced off against a youthful Wonga Park. Batting first on a lightning-fast Woori Yallock Reserve our openers cashed in and got us off to a flyer.
Chris Reynolds and Mick Nicholls belted the ball around and put on a 154 run opening stand in just the first 18 overs. Chris ended with 74 from 59 and Mick 73 from 62.
From there our batters kept the foot down with Matt McConnell and Matthew Robinson also contributing handy runs.
We finished the forty overs at seven for 280.
Terry Bennett got us off to a good start with the ball, taking the opener cheaply and Angus Gelly chimed in not long after to have them two for 21 early on.
Wonga Park put together a few partnerships through the innings, but never looked like getting close.
Tyson Gaskett and Matthew McConnell both took two wickets each and their innings came to an end at 6 for 201, 79 runs short.
Another valuable win in the run to finals.
Second XI
It was off to Chirnside Park for our Second XI. Winning the toss yet again was like déjà vu, with Michael Dwyer continuing to score runs and making it look easy.
Despite tight bowling, he managed 71, keeping the innings ticking along, with handy contributions from Dean Sharman and Sumant Gupta who went out chasing runs for the team.
Our total eight for 183 on a slow outfield was respectable, but more runs at the death would have been handy and proved decisive in the end.
Marty White once again got us off to a good start with the ball, taking the first wicket with only 12 runs on the board, but Chirnside Park were able to score freely, and too many extras in windy conditions saw their run rate climb.
Tayte Hubbard bowled economically again, restricting the runs and taking a handy wicket.
Jackson Wright’s pace was hard to face, and he claimed three, and the spin king Stephen Morgan took 3 for 26 off his eight overs, keeping the game within reach.
In a tight finish, they were able to pass our score in the 39th over, eight wickets down.
A well fought match by both teams, and good experience for our hopeful finals campaign down the track.
Third XI
At the rock-hard Wickhams Road Reserve once more, we hosted Wonga Park this week and were sent into the field.
Jacob Ahmad was thrown the new ball, and battled well, but unsuccessfully.
There was not a lot of luck for any bowlers out there until Alex Broussard snagged an important wicket through a good catch from his dad Paul Broussard.
The runs kept flowing through the quick outfield, late wickets to Jamie Madsen and Matthew Holland were valuable, and Wonga Park ended at four for 227.
In the batting innings it wasn’t ideal to lose two wickets early, with Joel Pratt’s promotion to three ending his run of not outs, but Paul Broussard and Dan Madsen set about building an innings, a 115 run partnership thanks to 52 from Paul and 59 from Dan was the platform we needed.
It enabled a destructive Matthew Holland to belt 56 from 28 balls and bring the game back to us.
He was dismissed near the finish line, and Stuart Parker guided us home for a fantastic victory!
A sorely needed win that keeps the season alive.
Women’s XI
In their first game back for the year, the Women took on Kilsyth at home on a beautiful Sunday afternoon.
Bowling first we got off to an ideal start, with Ella Amore taking two wickets in a row in the first over, getting herself on a hat-trick. Abi Diggins got a wicket and we were looking good at 3 for 16.
From there they did get a hold of us a little, but we kept getting wickets, Caitlyn Parker, Melissa Page, Ellen Bradley and Amelia English all chiming in to keep us in the game.
Ella Amore finished with figures of 3 for 22 off seven in a strong performance.
Kilsyth posted 173 from their overs.
Things didn’t go our way with the bat, and we lost quick wickets at the start, and from 3 for 8 it was hard to come back from there.
Caitlyn Parker (21), and Ellen Bradley (19) battled bravely, but it was too big a total in the end, and we were dismissed for 113, ending the win streak from before Christmas.
