RUNS, runs and more runs!
Those are the words that best describe the happenings in Round 7 of the Sale-Maffra Cricket Association so far.
Weather could not have been more perfect for the first day of seventh-round action, with clear skies, warm temperatures and a light breeze greeting players across the region.
While there was moisture in the turf as play began, that soon dried out; couple that with the dry, hard surfaces, and the result was a batsman’s paradise – as reflected in the scoreboards.
Three of the four matches saw teams making totals of 260 and beyond, while one venue saw 348 runs scored across Saturday between two first-grade clubs.
Maffra v Rosedale-Kilmany
NO first-day total was higher than Rosedale-Kilmany’s at Cameron Sporting Complex, where the Warriors made 284 runs across 80 overs.
Captain Isaac Love won the toss and opted to bat first against Maffra, with Brandon McDonald and Ashton Wright opening the innings.
The first over showed promise of a good day for the visitors with five runs scored; but in the overs that followed, the run-rate slowed to a trickle.
Nonetheless, the openers stood firm and contributed 70 runs between them.
It wasn’t until the 28th over that a breakthrough came for Maffra, with Wright caught on 23.
McDonald was next to depart, bowled four runs shy of a half-century three overs later.
This brought Jay Diamond to the crease, who joined his brother Rohan in making a third-wicket, 25-run stand across six overs, providing Rosedale-Kilmany with some much-needed verve.
After Rohan was stumped on 28, Jay then paired with Brad Scott over the next 20 overs, the duo adding another 69 runs to the Warriors’ total.
Scott did a majority of the scoring, making 53 until he became the fourth man to fall.
Next to arrive in the middle was Love, partnering with Jay Diamond for another 28 runs before the latter went out on 33.
Love himself went next, run out on 19.
This left Cameron Freshwater to see out the day with Nathan Hangan, both of whom went home unbeaten on 48 and 25 respectively.
No single player dominated the bowling for the Eagles, with Andrew McKenzie, Jake Pendrick, Heath Shingles, Jim Beaumont and captain Lee Hopkins all taking one wicket; Ben Harrington also contributed by running Love out.
Stratford v Sale
ANOTHER high-scoring innings was posted at Stratford Recreation Reserve, where Sale (winners of the toss) have set their opponents 262 to beat.
Hayden Glover and Daniel Padula opened for the Swans, looking comfortable and in-control for the first 12 overs of the game.
Just as they were beginning to settle, Stratford’s Jack Tatterson made the breakthrough, with Glover edging the ball to keeper Ben Dinning.
The very next over, Padula was caught-and-bowled by Jack Rietschel.
In the 20 overs that followed, a succession of Sale players departed for low scores – Coenie Nel for nine, Matt Jackson for seven, and captain Ben Jones for 14.
With the scoreboard reading 5/74, Sale looked to be in trouble.
Nathan Massey and Garreth Wolmarans soon put the innings back on track, together contributing 82 runs in their sixth-wicket partnership.
Following the former’s departure on 66, Wolmarans then collaborated with Matt Raidal to make another 71 runs across just 14 overs.
Wolmarans’ stand came to end on 70 runs in, fittingly, the 70th over of the innings.
A quick-fire 35 was added by Sale’s tail before the Swans were all out with three overs left in the day.
Jack Tatterson was best for Stratford, taking four wickets, snaring a catch in the field and causing a run-out.
In reply, the Redbacks have so far made six runs without loss.
Photo: Tom Parry
Longford v Collegians
NOAH Hurley has done it again.
For the fourth time this season, the young bowler snagged another five-wicket haul to help put Collegians in a commanding position against Longford.
Though he may have some competition for Man of the Match in teammate Tom Morrison.
The Lizards were sent in to bat first after losing the toss, a move that proved to be a masterstroke by Collegians captain Zac Hurley.
The younger Hurley, Noah, struck early, with Walt Sutton sending his ball into the hands of Henry Anderson in the third over at Stephenson Park.
He struck again in the seventh, bowling Ben Russ in his debut for Longford.
His three remaining victims were Jordan Price (21) in the 27th over, followed by Lachlan Floyd (two) and Liam Knight (duck), both of whom fell in the 31st over.
Longford lost all 10 wickets within 40 overs, posting a meagre total of 65 in the process.
In fairness, the Lizards did show some fightback from Ash Vogt (making his return to first-grade competition after a stint in thirds) and Price for the fourth wicket, and again from Sam Lucas-Laws and Jake Taylor in the eighth; yet neither was enough to stem the onslaught from Collegians’ bowling attack.
Collegians batted next, with openers Zac Hurley and Tom Morrison wasting no time chasing down Longford’s score, which they reached within 10 overs.
In the following seven overs, the two-day club match better resembled a Twenty20 International, with the pair scoring at a phenomenal rate of 10 runs per over.
Even after Hurley was bowled on 75, the barrage didn’t stop.
Morrison combined with Zak Russell, (back in the firsts), to add 98 runs to the scoreboard, the former making his maiden first-grade century in the process.
It’s a just reward for Morrison, whose batsmanship has been stellar virtually all season.
His loss of wicket on 108 – a stint that included 13 fours and two sixes – gave way to his brother Charlie, who continued where Tom and Russell left off.
The rest of the day saw Collegians add another 51 runs. Russell was the only other batter to fall – he was bowled after making a career-best 62.
Bundalaguah v Boisdale-Briagolong
CONTRARY to the above three games, runs were not forthcoming at Colin Wrigglesworth Oval.
Bowlers instead dominated, with 16 wickets falling across 80 overs and two innings of play.
Bundalaguah batted first after winning the toss, a decision they likely came to regret.
Within the first 12 overs, the Bulls lost four wickets – including key players Kshitiz Sharma and Steve Spoljaric – for just 17 runs; they were dealt a further blow in the 21st over when Chris Smart was caught for five.
It wasn’t until the arrival of Hayden Wrigglesworth at 6/49, at the expense of his brother Lachlan, that things began to look vaguely positive for Bundy.
He made 22 in his partnership with Nick French, before the latter was run out on an innings-best score of 37.
Other stands that Wrigglesworth contributed to included the eighth wicket with Connor Lay (27 runs between them) and ninth with Jos Dimarco (14).
Bundalaguah lost their 10th and final wicket in the 49th over with the scorecard reading 120.
Dylan Bolton inflicted much of the damage, the Boisdale-Briagolong captain taking five wickets and running-out French; he was supported by Ryan Marshall, who took three wickets.
The Saints fared slightly better in their chase, not losing their first wicket until the eighth over – Nathan Pang being the victim, caught on 19.
By day’s end, the team had made 82 runs with four wickets remaining.
Bolton was again the highest-scorer for the team, making 20 runs.
As for Bundalaguah, Sharma is so far the best of their bowlers with 2/29.
