CRICKET – CRICKET LATROBE VALLEY – LIAM DURKIN

 

IT just wouldn’t be season 2023/24 without rain.

Ironically, the first season of Cricket Latrobe Valley could well be remembered more for the number of washouts than being the starting point of a new league.

Wet weather played havoc with on-field action, although the saving grace was the fact last Saturday was Day 1 of Round 10 matches in Premier A.

With Day 2 coming up (hopefully) this Saturday, teams in the drivers seat will be able to push through for their desired results.

 

Premier A Grade

NOT even the rain can stop Ex Students.

The Sharks are so good, they only needed 28 overs to set-up a potential first innings victory against Mirboo North.

Taking to their home of Terry Hunter Reserve, the home side currently has the Tigers 9/70.

As usual, Ex Students operated as a unit with the ball, and saw wickets shared accordingly.

Mitch Harris cleaned up with 4/21, and was joined by Andrew Matthews (2/7) and Adam Brady (2/19) in the wicket-taking stakes.

Will Cheatley continued his good form with the bat, making the only sizeable contribution to Mirboo North with 25 off 29 balls.

Cheatley perhaps benefitted by having some familiarity with the bowling, having played alongside Brady in their time at Gormandale.

The Sharks will look to take the remaining wicket before getting the required total on Day 2, where they are likely to have more than enough time to set up an outright.

CATS are in a similar predicament to Mirboo North.

The boys from Traralgon South are 9/77 against Glengarry, who will be looking to get batting as soon as possible this Saturday.

Day 1 saw 46 overs completed at John Black Oval, on a day that belonged to the Magpies.

The visitor’s decision to bowl first was totally justified, and Nathan Allen made full use of favourable conditions, taking 6/32 off 18 overs.

Gareth Waack-Hawkins also chipped in with 2/7.

 

MOE put together arguably their best day performance for the season.

Coming up against a Raiders side fresh off beating premiership fancy Glengarry, the Lions knocked over Raiders for 103.

Moe Racecourse saw wickets fall ever so regularly, as the Lions gave very little away.

Some extraordinary figures from Rob Phoenix saw him take 1/5 off 11 overs for an economy that nearly went into the negatives (figure of speech, not mathematically possible).

With Phoenix landing the ball on a five cent piece, those around him were able to keep the pressure on.

Clinton Taylor continued his good form, finishing with 4/26, while Aaron Johnstone took 3/26, sending down more than 20 overs.

For Raiders, only Ben Burrows with a patient 28 off 93 balls was able to make much of an impression, although his strike rate perhaps indicated just how well Moe bowled throughout their first innings.

A few starts frustrated the visitors, which saw Luke Thornton make 21 and two other batsmen get to double figures.

Some interesting subplots emerged from the innings.

Journeyman cricketer Rob Webber appeared in the Raiders team for the first time this season, after crossing midseason from Centrals.

He was dismissed by Royce Colgrave, who himself hadn’t played for Moe since November.

Raiders’ decision to bat first was also interesting, considering Mick Higgins was unavailable on Day 1.

Higgins, who scored a century the previous round, will sub in this Saturday for Raiders.

Moe faced three overs before stumps, and will resume at 0/2.

Could the Lions be a dark horse this season? There’s certainly enough finals experience in the list.

 

MORWELL put up 186 against Toongabbie.

Travelling out to Roger Ries Oval, the Tigers will rate their chances on Day 2.

Jason Veneman and Keenan Hughes did the wicket-taking for the Rams, each grabbing two.

 

CHURCHILL has the bye.

 

A Grade

BIZARRE scenes occurred during Round 10 of Cricket Latrobe Valley A Grade.

The diversity of Gippsland, specifically Traralgon, weather was on full display, as some areas were hit harder than others.

Amazingly, all three games were played in Traralgon, yet only one was decided by Duckworth-Lewis-Stern.

 

TRARALGON WEST defeated Willow Grove on DLS.

Calculators came out almost as much as the covers at Jack Canavan, as the Eagles got the revised total of 149.

Willow Grove was sent in, and ended up making a creditable 180 off 47.5 overs.

Kyan Mulley and Josh Hammond put on 66 for the first wicket, before Luke Payton came in and made 41 in the middle of the Willow Grove order.

The dismissal of Payton led to a steady stream of wickets, as Traralgon West bowlers shared the love.

Criminally underrated off-spinner Reece Falla took 3/36, while fellow slow bowlers Ben Fleming and Adam Thow chipped in with 2/23 and 2/29 respectively.

Tom McQualter was excellent, bowling out and taking 2/25.

The Eagles eventually got going with the bat, with the first seven batsmen all assisting with double figures.

While scores of 10 to 20 don’t ordinarily warrant a mention, in a revised chase they can be just as good as a half-century.

Rob Wilkie however got the score Traralgon West was after, making 46 opening the batting.

The home side got the winning runs inside 40 overs, losing six wickets doing so.

Willow Grove captain Darcy Walsh took 3/38 and Nathan Wheildon had the locks flowing in his 2/31.

 

WHATEVER Gormandale got for Christmas has worked, as they secured back-to-back wins.

The Tigers beat another decent opponent, this time topping Centrals.

Playing just across Gilmour Street at Apex Park from the Traralgon West-Willow Grove game, the Tigers did not need DLS to win – in fact, they only needed 23.3 overs.

Bowling first, Gormandale reduced the Lions to 3/15, from which time they hardly recovered.

The home side was skittled for just 102, with no real impressions of note on the batting card.

Nat Campbell did most of the damage, taking 3/17, along with Matt Hibbs (2/17) and Cam Peavey (2/31).

The Tigers exercised exceptional control, with four bowlers returning economy rates under two.

With rain around, Gormandale decided to get the runs before the rain potentially got them.
Dylan Keyhoe got 31 at the top, and Hibbs slapped 31 off 30 before going out in unusual fashion hit wicket.

Runs to Yohan Soyza (22 not out) ensured victory.

Reghard Hefer picked up two wickets, including the hit wicket for Centrals.

 

THIS could be Rovers’ premiership to lose.

The Traralgon side put in another commanding performance, this time creaming Latrobe.

The Sharks batted first, but could only manage 83, which was then chased in less than 15 overs.

Rovers veteran Simon Duff took 4/18, working in tandem with Dougal Williams who took 3/18, the exact same figures as Lachlan Patterson.

Ewan Williams then made it an early beer for all concerned, smacking 52 not out off 45 balls.

The Rovers captain hit five fours and two sixes in his knock.

 

IMPERIALS had the bye.

A Grade returns to two-day matches for the rest of the season from this weekend.