Cricketers across the Sale-Maffra region got back on the park for the first game of the season last Saturday.
Perfect weather greeted players, as the familiar sights and sounds of the summer game returned.
It was zinc cream and sunnies on for those out in the field, while for those on the side lines, it was shorts and thongs (well, Birkenstocks these days) either waiting to bat, or wallowing in self-pity at the denied opportunity.
There was a degree of blowing out the cobwebs for the first game, and as such, difficult to read too much into results.
The results also needed to be put into context, as a number of teams secured gun players for a one-off appearance.
With the neighbouring competition Traralgon and District Cricket Association calling its round off a couple of days early due to underprepared wickets, as well as Victorian Premier Cricket not starting until this weekend, a few SMCA clubs were able to call in some ring-ins.
This might be seen a few more times up until Christmas – the cut-off point for players to be cleared in-and-out. It is common for players from neighbouring associations that have a bye to be available for selection in the SMCA; however, after Christmas, the player must play solely for their ‘home’ club.
STRATFORD started its premiership defence on a positive note.
The Redbacks defeated Bundalaguah with relative ease, winning by eight wickets.
The visiting Bulls called correctly at the toss, and elected to bat.
Stratford made a number of early inroads through the work of Lachie Dowd and Zane Waixel, as well as Taylor Tatterson and international recruit Ben Dinning.
The pair combined to run out Toby O’Reilly, which had the Bulls 2/8.
Although officially listed as an ‘out’ this season, Tatterson was available due to a break in his schedule.
They say run-outs cause collapses, and before too long, Bundalaguah was 5/37.
The rest of the batting card found conditions difficult, and ended using most of the allotted 40 overs to see what kind of total they could scratch out.
In the end, the Bulls made 91, as Dowd bookended the bowling effort for Stratford, taking the first and last wicket to fall.
The medium pacer gave little away, taking 2/13, in tandem with Waixel, who nabbed 3/23.
Jack Rietschel did an outstanding job bowling through the middle stages, taking 2/9 from eight overs.
The Redbacks wasted little time getting the required runs, securing the points just after the drinks break for the loss of only two wickets.
Left-hander Chris Aurisch did most of the scoring, making 68 in a total of 97.
Aurisch blasted three sixes and eight fours during his 68-ball knock, as the plan became to just get him on strike.
MAFFRA was too strong for Boisdale-Briagolong.
The visiting Eagles elected to bowl first, and had the Saints 2/5 in the seventh over.
Dylan Freitag made a great first impression at his new club, taking the opening two wickets.
Mason Annear and Nick Pang then set about rebuilding the Boisdale-Briagolong innings, and took the score past 50 before Jim Beaumont struck a double-wicket blow.
Beaumont had the two dismissed within one run of each other, taking the scoreboard from 2/56 to 4/57.
Pang, who has joined the Saints this season from the UK, gave an insight into his capability with an enterprising 42 from 40 balls.
Following his dismissal, Boisdale-Briagolong batted out the remaining overs, and got themselves to 8/116 at compulsory close.
Captain Dylan Bolton steadied the situation to an extent with 22 from 39 balls, while for Maffra, wickets were shared between Lee Hopkins (3/14), Freitag (2/7) and Beaumont (2/22).
Hopkins then got busy opening the batting, and scored 34 from 39 balls in a 41-run opening stand.
Nathan Hibbins then came in and did likewise, and ended unbeaten on 47 from 61.
Hibbins and Freitag both had great games on debut for their new club, and Eagles officials will be hoping it is the start of something special.
Maffra got across the line in the 32nd over, losing just the three wickets.
Interestingly, Austin Anlezark did not bowl for Boisdale-Briagolong. The youngster bowled first change in a Victorian Premier Cricket seconds grand final last season, and was even a net bowler to England players during the Melbourne Ashes Test.
NOAH Hurley on an October wicket was always going to be a difficult proposition.
The Collegians speed demon took 5/22 against Rosedale-Kilmany – and all five wickets disturbed the timber.
Before that, College decided to have a hit at Rosedale. The Warriors had past player Anthony Scott available due to a bye with Yarram in the TDCA, as well as Keenan Hughes, who joined the team for the day from Toongabbie.
Hughes took the new ball, and set the tone with two early wickets.
Given Rosedale’s close proximity to Traralgon, and the fact the TDCA wickets hadn’t got up, conditions were always going to be treacherous for those trying to bat at Rosedale.
The Warriors capitalised on this, with skipper Isaac Love and Scott taking six wickets between them.
The pair came on first change, with the former taking 2/19 and the latter 4/10.
At 9/69 with 10 overs to go, Collegians veteran Stuart Anderson provided the cool head needed, and he batted through the rest of the innings to finish unbeaten on 38.
He combined with number 11 Nathan Whitford in putting on 46 for the last wicket.
How vital that partnership proved to be – Rosedale-Kilmany was bowled out for 69.
As College took to the field, Hurley said ‘now it’s my turn’, and he was absolutely devastating with the new ball.
After a couple of warm-up overs, he had two wickets by the end of his third, and by the end of his fifth, he had four as Rosedale-Kilmany slumped to 5/20.
In among Hurley’s haul was Rohan Diamond for a first baller, Scott and Love – all bowled.
Regardless of how much a pitch might be seaming, you have to be very good to knock players of that ilk over.
Rosedale-Kilmany fought out the rest of the innings as best it could, but they had well and truly had the stuffing taken out of them by then.
The Hurleys had a very productive day, with Noah’s older brother Ned taking 2/5.
SALE overcame a competitive Longford.
The Swans sent the Lizards in at Sale Oval, and struck at semi-regular intervals with the ball.
Longford enjoyed periods of dominance, with Luke Hedger scoring an attacking 38 batting at number five, along with Jarryd Floyd who made 25.
Hedger struck some lusty blows, including a towering six over mid-wicket to start the 11th over, which was followed by another four, forcing the field to retreat.
Jake Wynd was productive at the top of the order, and looked in good touch with 20 off 21 balls.
Wynd could count himself a tad unlucky to be dismissed in the manner he was, after hitting a square-drive right out of the screws only to pick out Matt Raidal at backward point.
A metre either side and it may well have been four. The same shot to a fielder not as good as Raidal and Wynd may well have survived. ‘That’s cricket’.
The Lizards were able to put together a total of 153, while Sale found good outputs from Raidal, who took 3/25 and Ben Jones, who grabbed 2/11.
Jones also nailed a direct-hit run out, collecting the ball in the mid-on region and throwing down the stumps at the non-strikers end.
The skipper then signalled his intentions with the bat, hitting a lofted straight drive for four off the first ball of the Sale innings.
Two more boundaries followed shortly after, and Jones was on 12 before he had even faced an over’s worth of balls.
Despite the auspicious start, Lizards opening bowler Mick Murphy kept charging in, and had Jones bowled to see the first wicket fall with the score on 18.
Watching from behind the bowler’s arm, there seemed to be two noises, with Jones either chopping on or the ball coming off the pad.
Longford then had a period of ascendency, with Murphy getting his second wicket, and Rupinder Sidhu taking one to have Sale in a tricky position at 3/23.
The Swans would have been nervous when Sidu grabbed another and the scoreboard read 4/43; however from there, the wise heads of Coenie Nel and Nathan Massey took Sale to victory.
Nel showed his class with an unbeaten 69, highlighted by an eloquent on-drive early in the piece that you just had to applaud.
Massey played a good supporting role, making 27, although his dismissal with the score at 5/103 did leave the door open for the Lizards, before the Swans eventually got home in the 30th over.
Sidhu took 2/28 and Murphy 2/29.
