Ladder leader and reigning premier, Lindenow South Glenaladale have made light work of St Mary’s Nagle on day two of their round 10 Bairnsdale Cricket Association “A” grade clash at Nagle College last Saturday.
The Bulls cruised to their seventh victory of the season and currently sit 10 points ahead of second-placed Wy Yung on the table, with St Mary’s currently occupying the bottom rung of the table.
Last year’s semi-final, where the Saints were desperately unlucky not to claim the Bulls, now seeming like an eternity away, as their fortunes since that match continue to head in completely opposite directions.
Nagle will resume at 3/65 on day two, with its best two batsmen at the crease, skipper Ricky Tatnell (35) and the explosive Brayden McCarrey (12).
The latter was out shortly after the resumption for 19, and when Seth Smith claimed Tatnell for 40, the Saints were 5/93.
Flynn Thompson (13), Brendan Gallus (20) and Reece Carstairs (10) all worked hard, but were eventually removed, with Nagle dismissed in the 48th over for just 125.
Seth Smith impressed, taking 4/30, with his new ball partner, Mel Irish taking 2/46.
Lindenow South Glenaldale needed 126 to win from 58 overs, and they knocked the total off in the 29th over, for the loss of just one wicket.
The run chase was set up by an opening stand of 113 in 25 overs from rejuvenated veteran Scott Davidson (60 from 89) and Scott Dare (47 not out from 68).
Davidson hit six boundaries and a couple of maximums in his innings, while Dare belted three well-hit fours and a couple of towering sixes.
The Bulls will welcome Wy Yung to the Glenaladale Recreation Reserve this week, for the clash of the season, the grand final replay, where this season’s top seeds will do battle in a two-day game on Saturday and Sunday.
Both sides are in superb form and full of stars, it’s games like this when you expect the cream to rise to the top, with the likes of the Bulls’ Haydn Erfurth and Logan Dunkley and the Tigers’ Cameron McPhan and Ben Saxon set to take big wickets in a match where we are going to learn plenty about both entities.
It will be interesting to see if Wy Yung have made the necessary adjustments from grand final weekend last year, or if the Bulls again be able to exploit their inadequacies.
It’s the perfect way to finish the first semester of the season, with a blockbuster, where both captains want nothing more than the six first innings points for Christmas.
