Gippsland’s spinners wreak havoc
CRICKET
GCL
By LIAM DURKIN
SPINNERS rejoiced in the opening round of the Gippsland Cricket League.
Tweakers found good purchase out of surfaces in Wy Yung and Traralgon, as the representative action recommenced on Sunday, October 16.
TRARALGON opened its GCL account with a win.
Taking on Warragul at Duncan Cameron Park, the Tornadoes had a similar match to Sale-Maffra.
The main difference was Traralgon was sent in, but like the Sharks, had to grind their way to a competitive total.
Traralgon made 164, thanks mainly to Ryan Morley making 26 in the middle order and then
Ewan Williams scoring an enterprising 37 off 39 balls at 10.
While some might see it strange that a number 10 is capable of scoring at such a rate, the depth of GCL cricket means virtually every single person can bat.
Traralgon’s James Pryde for instance, who opens the batting for home club Ex Students, batted at number 11 in this match.
Wickets were shared in the Warragul camp, with Dan Vela taking 3/15, Jay Riley (2/22) and Sean Masterson (2/23).
The Warragul response never really materialised, and after the first two wickets fell, the rest quickly followed.
The Wild Dogs were 2/34, and then lost 6/20. Pryde tore through the middle and lower order, claiming 6/8.
Another spinner in Lee Stockdale also chimed in with 3/18.
THE match between Latrobe Valley and Leongatha did not go ahead.
While the pitch at Mirboo North was fine, a rain soaked outfield meant the game could not proceed.
By all reports, you would have needed footy boots to play.
SALE-MAFFRA captain Dylan Bolton led the Sharks to victory over Bairnsdale.
Travelling to Wy Yung, the visitors elected to have a hit upon winning the toss.
Sale-Maffra recovered from a sluggish start that saw them slump to 4/22, eventually grinding out a total of 147.
Jack Tatterson and Ben Jones stabilised things in the middle order, with a 60-run partnership,that saw the former make 34 and the latter 27.
Jake Wynd then came in at number eight and added 34 valuable runs.
Wynd clearly thought the aerial route was his best chance at finding the boundary, and he clubbed two sixes in his effort.
Boundaries were hard to come by during the innings – only five were hit into the rope.
Best bowlers for Bairnsdale were Steve Bertino, who took 3/28, Luke Edney (2/19) and Sam Bedggood (2/25) up against his old association.
Bairnsdale looked on track for victory, until Bolton’s heroics.
The home side was 2/59, but Bolton’s first wicket ignited a spectacular turn of events.
He took seven of the next eight wickets, to end with astonishing figures of 7/19 from 9.3 overs as Bairnsdale was routed for 89.
The Sharks only used finger spinners, with Bolton working alongside Isaac Love, Coenie Nel and Jack Rietschel.
Love opened the bowling and took the first two wickets to end with 2/18.
Brodie Anderson was the top scorer for Bairnsdale with 30.
IN Under 18 action, Sale-Maffra had a strong win over Latrobe Valley.
The Sharks, having played for three weeks as opposed to their opponents who had yet to get on the park back home, showed their match conditioning
in an eight-wicket win.
Sale-Maffra bowlers Madix Grattan and Austin Anlezark took five wickets between them to see Latrobe Valley shot out for 79.
The Sharks had next to no trouble getting the required runs, making them by the 21st over.
In order to give kids a game, the match was moved from College Turf to the out-back synthetic.
Ben Harrington and Jay Diamond led the way, scoring 39 and 30.
Bairnsdale was too good for Leongatha.
Leongatha batted first at Leongatha Secondary College, but could only manage 90.
Harry West did his best for the home side with 30.
Wickets in the Bairnsdale camp went to Logan Dunkley (3/13), Jake Anderson (2/12) and Seth Smith (2/14).
Bairnsdale survived a brief scare at 4/42, before Dunkley (35 not out) and Anderson (25 not out) got the side over the line.
Ryan Sinclair took 2/16 for Leongatha.
Dowton Park, Yarragon was too wet too play, so the match between Warragul and Traralgon
was abandoned.
IN women’s cricket Leongatha defeated Latrobe Valley.
Latrobe Valley was sent in on the Mirboo North astro, and closed at 9/101 off their allotted 30 overs.
Emily Shaw top scored with 20. Kylie Collins did the damage with the ball for Leongatha, taking 4/17.
Others to chip in were Gracie Sanders (2/17) and Heidi Driscoll (2/21).
Latrobe Valley was a sneaky chance when it had Leongatha 5/75, but the visitors eventually reined the total in the 25th over.
Catriona Halkett (2/11) and Taylah Kilpatrick (2/19) led the way with the ball for Latrobe Valley.
Sale-Maffra had the bye.
THE next round of Gippsland Cricket League is on Sunday, November 6.
