Second-placed Wy Yung increased its winning streak to four, comfortably defeating West Bairnsdale at Wy Yung during round 10 of the Bairnsdale Cricket Association.
The Tigers sit 10 points behind this week’s opponent, Lindenow South Glenaladale, and a game ahead of Orbost, Lucknow and Lakes Entrance in a competitive season where every win is paramount.
West Bairnsdale is languishing in seventh spot on the same points as sixth-placed Paynesville, a game adrift of the three sides currently situated third to fifth.
The Tigers won the toss and elected to bat and quickly found themselves 4-23 when Chris Hammond (3/24) bowled Cameron McPhan with his first ball in the 11th over.
Jack Lind (2/13) impressed picking up
Ray Stevens and Daniel Gledhill early after Patrick Halford claimed Todd Murray’s wicket
without scoring.
But Wy Yung plays with plenty of belief and confidence and has developed plenty of depth over the past 12 months.
Ben Saxon (21) and Harry Forbes (55) steadied the wicket flow, before a match-winning seventh wicket stand of 72 between Forbes and skipper, Stevie Bertino (41) in 15 overs, saw the momentum change, the Tigers making their way to 7/148 from their 45 overs, a score that looked out of reach for much of the innings.
Forbes has blossomed in recent weeks, looking adept at “A” grade level with both
bat and ball.
In reply, West lost regular wickets and
struggled to get a partnership over 20, eventually succumbing in the 39th over for a
disappointing 99.
Atley Williams top scored with 21, one of four players to reach double figures, but no player was able to build an innings to anchor West home.
Batting has been West’s strength in recent seasons and certainly has gelled in the first half of the 2025/26 season.
They long for some consistent contributions from Brodie Anderson, Tom Hudson and Ryan Halford.
Darcy Murray (2/15), Guriqbal Singh (2/29), Bertino (2/11) and Forbes (2/6) all did their job with the ball.
Damian Vicary and Charlie Thompson playing their part with a wicket each.
It’s a huge game for the Tigers this week, venturing to the Glenaladale Recreation Reserve 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 likes of the Bulls’ Haydn Erfurth and Logan Dunkley and the Tigers’ Cameron McPhan and Ben Saxon likely to be among the runs.
Or could it be a battle of the all rounders, with Seth Smith or Stevie Bertino the
match winner.
It will be interesting to see if Wy Yung has made the necessary adjustments from grand final weekend last year, or will the Bulls again be able to exploit their inadequacies?
West Bairnsdale will dual for a vital
six points with Lakes Entrance at the
Lakeside Oval.
Both sides have struggled for consistency, but have the quality players who can perform on the day.
