Paynesville stayed in the hunt for Bairnsdale Cricket Association finals action with an impressive victory over Lucknow in round 10 action at the AJ Freeman Reserve.
The Gulls now sit in sixth spot on ladder, a game adrift of Orbost, Lucknow and Lakes Entrance, who occupy places third to fifth
on the table.
The Magpies resumed on day 7/113 and lasted just six more overs, dismissed for a disappointing 124 with both not out overnight batsmen Beau Haslam and Joshua Ward contributing 10 each.
Teenager Harper Clack backed up his day one effort picking up two of the three wickets to fall, finishing with a sensational 5/19 from 10 overs, the first of many top grade five-wicket hauls.
Paynesville looked in trouble at 3-18 with their star batsman Nathan Schoultz back in the sheds, but an unbroken 107-run fourth wicket partnership between Aaron Cameron (70 from 99 balls) and Caleb Marsh (43 from 155) saw them home with 24 overs remaining.
The pair weathered the storm
and put a high premium on their wickets, withstanding plenty of pressure to ensure the Gulls banked the vital points, keeping the finals dream alive.
The Gulls will venture east to Orbost this week where they will take on third-placed Blues in a weekend two-day fixture.
Orbost has played just one Saturday in the past six weeks, their schedule marred by washouts and byes.
Paynesville will be hoping the Blues are rusty. If the Gulls play with the confidence and poise they did against Lucknow an upset is possible.
Schoultz is ideally suited to conditions at Orbost, and as such looms as the danger
man for Orbost who took all before them early in the season.
Lucknow will be looking to bounce back when it welcomes bottom side, St Mary’s Nagle, to Hudson- Alvin Oval.
Nothing much has gone Nagle’s way but any side with Ricky Tatnell and Brayden McCarrey in it is more than capable of causing an upset.
The Magpies have generally got the mix of import, experience and youth right – it will be interesting to see what they do at the selection table this week.
