CRICKET
COUNTRY WEEK
By LIAM DURKIN
CRICKET Latrobe Valley returned from Melbourne Country Week with a 50/50 strike rate.
On return to the week-long tournament following a year hiatus, CLV won two of its four games in Division 2.
The result means CLV will remain in Division 2 next season.
While the league had expectations of winning the tournament and gaining promotion, the Division 2 competition had 13 teams, making for an uneven draw.
The path to victory was therefore easier for other associations, who may have played weaker sides more than once.
CLV finished sixth, defeating Gisborne District and Hamilton District.
A number of metro-based teams entered Division 2 just to get some match practice. St Kilda’s Premier club and a Victorian Sub-District Association side played a game during the week.
CLV started with a five wicket loss to Maryborough.
Batting first, Latrobe Valley scored 209 after being asked to have a hit at Windy Hill.
Amal Athulathmudali (69) and Bret Chapman (61) led the scoring, while captain Jimmy Pryde made 30.
Maryborough got the win, but only with four overs to spare.
Keenan Hughes (2/43) and Adam Brady (2/55) took a pair of wickets each.
CLV got on the winner’s list in the next game against Gisborne.
Deciding to bowl first at Altona, Latrobe Valley restricted Gisborne to 9/177 off the allotted 50 overs.
Brady (4/41), Hughes (2/22) and Darcy Walsh (2/36) were the multiple wicket-takers.
Athulathmudali (75 off 73) then led the side to victory, helped by some lower order contributions from Pryde (29) and Hughes (24 not out).
Latrobe Valley won again on the Wednesday, defeating Hamilton.
Deciding to bat first at Greenvale, Latrobe Valley compiled 7/241.
James Hayter rescued the innings with 79 red batting at number seven, after an early scare left the side 2/17.
Rhys Noble (48) and Chapman (44) contributed.
Hamilton was bowled out for 207 in reply.
Noble completed a good day with figures of 4/29, while Hughes (2/27) and Alfie Peck (2/54) also collected poles.
Latrobe Valley lost its last game to Sunraysia.
In a competitive match, CLV lost by 22 runs at Donvale, in a game reduced to 40 overs.
Noble took 3/41 after CLV elected to bowl first following a huge downpour on the Wednesday night.
Others to take wickets were Peck (2/38) and Walsh (2/45).
Not enough runs from the top order however saw CLV close at 9/203.
Hayter scored a second half-century in as many days, making 67.
Hughes whacked 43 not out off 33, and Peck 31.
Warrnambool ended up winning the tournament, defeating Maryborough in Friday’s final.
Leongatha finished third on the ladder, but lost the bronze medal match to Sunraysia. Warragul did not enter a side.
Sale-Maffra and Bairnsdale competed in Provincial.
Bairnsdale might get relegated after being the only team from the two pools not to win a match.
Sale-Maffra took a strong team down, losing just one pool game, although it was defeated by eventual premier Geelong in the qualifier.
Geelong’s Shane McNamara scored 139 in the final.
His opening partner Vishesh Malhotra was caught off a short and wide delivery first ball of the innings.
When is cricket good?
Those to represent Cricket Latrobe Valley were: Jimmy Pryde (captain), Keenan Hughes (vice captain), Ryan Morley (vice capain), Callum Grant, Amal Athulathmudali, Matt Dyke, Brett Chapman, Rhys Noble, Luke Payton, Leighton Shuttleworth, Connor Bettsworth, Adam Brady, Darcy Walsh, Jaxon Murdoch, James Hayter, Alfie Peck, Michael Warne (manager), Anthony Bloomfield (chairman of selectors), Andrew Philip (selector) and John Keighran (selector).
