Liam Durkin
ROUND two of the Gippsland Cricket League saw wins to Traralgon and Sale-Maffra.
The results mean the Tornadoes and Sharks have booked a ticket to the final to be played next year.
TRARALGON chased down Leongatha’s total of 169 in relatively easy fashion at Scorpian Park.
Nat Freitag led the way, scoring an unbeaten 71. Freitag received good support from skipper Lee Stockdale and middle order batsman Jackson McMahon, who chipped in with 26 and 28 respectively.
Earlier in the day it was another Freitag who did the damage, as Dylan Freitag reduced Leongatha to 2/2 following a double wicket strike with the new ball.
From there, Tom Keily set about resurrecting the home teams innings, and he was able to do so thanks to a fighting 53.
With the score 3/85, the dismissal of Keily gave Traralgon an opening, and they duly capitalised, reducing Leongatha to 6/95 in a matter of minutes.
Ryan Williams put up a tremendous rear-guard action, continuing on after Keily and making 62 to see Leongatha reach a competitive total.
Michael Warne was the pick of the bowlers for Traralgon, taking 3/33, while Mitch Harris (3/3) and Freitag (2/24) also got in on the act.
SALE-MAFFRA and Bairnsdale played out a competitive match at Wy Yung.
The Sharks were sent in by Bairnsdale, and the decision appeared to be justified early as SaleMaffra was reduced to 3/32. Steve Spoljaric however weathered the storm after coming in at 2/14, batting through the innings to finish on an unbeaten 78 from 136 balls.
Jack Tatterson and Ben Jones also played helping hands, making 37 and 38. Steve Bertino took 2/29 for Bairnsdale, which included four maidens.
The Bairnsdale reply saw a few partnerships of 30 or so runs intersected by the loss of wickets every so often which enabled Sale-Maffra to stay ahead of the game.
The home side looked to keep the scoreboard ticking, with Dylan Jordan making 44 from 40 deliveries and Alex Hulme 29 from 28.
Daniel Gledhill held things together, making 28 from 55 balls, but in the finish it was not enough as Bairnsdale was bowled out for 178 in the 47th over.
Jack Tatterson got one for the mantel piece, taking wickets at bookends of the innings to finish with figures of 5/35 from 8.3 overs.
Tatterson trapped three batsman leg before and bowled another in his collection.
LATROBE VALLEY and Warragul had the bye. Senior GCL action resumes on Sunday, January 23.
