Friday, 29 March 2024
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Tightening up in the top four

Tightening up in the top four

Bairnsdale Cricket Association’s “A” grade ladder significantly tightened after some upset results in round eight.
The biggest upset came at Tigerland where the reigning premier and current ladder leader, Wy Yung, went down to Lakes Entrance.
While the Tigers were understrength, the Seagulls flew back into top four calculations and kept their one-day finals dreams in tact.
West Bairnsdale moved to equal top of the table, and four points clear on the one-day ladder, by defeating Orbost. The Blues are fifth overall, six points clear of Lakes Entrance, and remain second on the one-day table.
St Mary’s Nagle pushed to within two points of the top teams with a dominant win over Lindenow South Glenaladale, while Meerlieu remains winless at the bottom of the ladder after going down to Lucknow.
SEAGULLS STAY IN TOUCH
Lakes Entrance kick-started the second half of the season by taking down reigning premier and ladder leader, Wy Yung. The Seagulls jumped back in the hunt for a top four finish and kept their slim one-day grand final hopes alive by beating the Tigers by 28 runs.
Sent into bat, Lakes lost two early wickets before recovering to post 9/163.
Boundaries were hard to come by on a slow outfield, however Leigh Walker (58) and Jake Le Maitre (35) kept the run rate flowing before some expansive hitting from Ben John (30), helped the Seagulls to a more than competitive total.
Darcy Murray took two wickets for the Tigers, while Ben Saxon capitalised as Lakes looked to up the ante late, picking up 4/27.
Wy Yung’s run chase started poorly with Noah Dodd picking up the key wickets of Marcus Latham (1), Daniel Gledhill (10) and Todd Murray (10) cheaply before Fraser Dostines in his first match of the season, picked up three middle order wickets, including key man, Saxon (9), as Wy Yung was reduced to 8/68.
Daniel Dalton (58) played with freedom in the lower order while Nathan Aston (28) rode his luck as they kept their side in with a chance thanks to a 53-run ninth wicket stand, but ultimately it wasn’t enough.
Dodd and Dostine collected three wickets each, Mark Webb, in his first “A” grade match of the season, took two, while Brett Jackish, also in his first “A” grade match of the season, went at less than two runs an over with the new ball.
SAINTS KEEP MARCHING
After winning the toss, Lindenow South
Glenaladale sent St Marys into bat at Nagle. Early in the innings the decision to send the Saints into bat looked vindicated, losing their first four wickets for 25 runs, including the valuable wicket of the in-form Brayden McCarrey. St Mary’s opener Parsons was holding down his end while Ricky Tatnell made a valuable 43 runs before being run out by some excellent Glen Swamps fielding.
An important middle order innings from Randall Stewart (23) and Tim Bull (20) and a cameo 30 not out from Jesse Hack resulted in the Saints making a reasonable score of 145 after their 40 overs.
Best bowlers for Glen Swamps were Scott Davidson (3/21) and Mel Irish (3/16), the latter cleaning up the top order.
Lindenow South got off to a quick start in its run chase with Matt Baylis and Davidson showing intent.
However, this was to be their downfall with both openers falling to outfield catches off the bowling of Stewart.
The Glen Swamps were never able to put together the partnership they needed and wickets fell steadily due to some tight bowling and excellent fielding from St Mary’s. Only three players reached double figures for the Glen Swamps, who were all out well short of their target for 73 off just 25.4 overs. Stewart (4/23) and McCarrey (4/150 were the best of the Saints’ bowlers.
WEST AT THE TOP
A big match loomed at Bairnsdale City Oval between the consistent West Bairnsdale and the previously undefeated Orbost one-day side. West batted first and got of to a shaky start losing opener Sam Stewart for 2. In an innings of stops and starts, every time
Orbost looked like getting on top, West’s batsmen chipped in with valuable innings.
Brodie Anderson (19), David Wolfe (29) and Atley Williams (30) helped West’s total along to 9/137 from its 40 overs.
Best bowlers for Orbost were Nick Davis (3/21), Jayden Price (3/19) and off spinner, Lachie Donchi (2/19).
Orbost would have liked its chances of chasing down the total and it looked to be in control early, however West made the most of every chance when it came. Price (15), Curtley Farley (14), Alex Hulme (19) and Scott Mundy (22) all got starts, but couldn’t go on with it as wickets fell regularly.
The Blues fell 12 runs short of victory in a very even and entertaining game. Orbost all out for 126 with Ryan Halford, Jack Lind and Chris Hammond taking two wickets each for West Bairnsdale.
MAGPIES CLIP TUSSOCKS
Winning the toss at Meerlieu, Lucknow elected to bat first and produced an excellent opening partnership between Matt Corbett (34) and Ryan Mitchell (35) of 78, setting the tone for strong score of 153. One of the stars of this season, Beau Haslam, had a fantastic all round game with 44 not out off 71 balls before taking 3/14 in Meerlieu’s innings as the Tussocks reached just 83 in reply.
It was crucial that the Tussocks got off to a good start in their run chase but this was not to be losing both their openers cheaply.
Only Chris Johnson (15) and captain Reagan Kyle (12) offered any real hope for the Tussocks.
Haslam’s 3/14 was complemented by Corbett’s 3/19.
THIS WEEK
“A” grade - round 9: Lakes Entrance v St Mary’s Nagle (Ron Smith, John Hine); Lucknow v West Bairnsdale (Peter Usher, Chris Websdale); Lindenow South Glenaladale v Wy Yung (Don Haley, Neil Woodward; Meerlieu v Orbost (Eric Jamieson, Mal Leys).
“B” grade - round 11: St Mary’s Nagle v Bruthen; West Bairnsdale Gold v Lakes Entrance; West Bairnsdale Green v Lucknow; Wy Yung v Lindenow South Glenaladale; Orbost v Paynesville.
“C” grade - round 10: Meerlieu v St Mary’s Nagle; Paynesville Blue v Buchan; Metung Swan Reach v Bruthen; Lucknow v Paynesville White; Wy Yung v Lindenow; Lakes Entrance bye.

 

IMAGE:
West Bairnsdale celebrates the wicket of Orbost’s Lachie Donchi during its 12-run round eight “A” grade Bairnsdale Cricket Association victory at Bairnsdale City Oval on Saturday.


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