Lucknow have given themselves a chance of pulling off their second victory of the season, playing consistent cricket all day against fourth-ranked Meerlieu in round five of the Bairnsdale Cricket Association (BCA) at the MCG.
The Magpies, despite making a score of just 216, which isn’t prolific when you’re playing against a Tussocks side that contains batting stars like Jay Peiris, Rohan Blandford, Connor Mitchell and Reagan Kyle, the big wicket of the hard hitting and in-form Peiris late in the day has certainly set the game up for a huge finish.
The Tussocks will resume at 2/12, with Liam Vaughan joining Peiris back in the shed, emerging young all rounder Taj Corben and skipper, Jarryd Floyd both picking up vital early wickets.
Lucknow worked hard at the crease, batting 74 overs, the inning anchored by Corben, who opened the batting, helping himself to his first BCA half century, his classy and stoic 56 coming from 134 balls.
Import Rico Fourie again impressed with a quick fire 35 from just 31, with Isaac Love (22), Floyd (27) and Matt Corbett (22) also making solid contributions for the Pies, who would have been happier with 20 or 30 more runs.
Mitchell was again influential with the ball, taking 4/82 from 33 overs of well directed spin, well supported by Liam Vaughan, who is finally living up to his potential taking 3/24.
Lucknow captain, Floyd was happy with his side’s effort and looking forward to the challenge ahead.
“If we bowl well, the game is there for the taking, the two late wickets were huge for us,” Floyd said.
The Magpies will be keen to ram home the advantage and pick up some early wickets on day two, with Blandford seen as the game breaker, the classy left hander capable of taking the game away from Lucknow quickly.
Lucknow’s form is better than just one win and this is an ideal opportunity to right that wrong, but the Tussocks are sitting comfortably inside the top four, they will be keen to keep the two game buffer over a group of teams led by Wy Yung and Metung Swan Reach.
