MARONG captain Tom Wilson produced the best bowling figures of the Emu Valley Cricket Association season so far with a six-wicket haul on Saturday.
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In the clash of two teams desperate to win their first games, Wilson bagged 6-33 off 14.3 overs against West Bendigo at Ken Wust Oval.
Wilson spearheaded a dramatic West Bendigo batting collapse as the Redbacks crashed from 1-178 to all out for 220 in the 67th over after they lost 9-42.
Wilson’s six wickets were all unassisted – four bowled, one lbw and one caught and bowled.
The Redbacks were unable to capitalise on a strong foundation laid by their top-three batsmen Travis O’Connell (69), Ben Henson (60) and Simon Tatt (40).
Openers O’Connell and Henson put on 90 for the first wicket, before O’Connell teamed with Tatt to add 88 for the second.
However, when O’Connell – who has made 180 runs in three hits this season – was caught by keeper Scott Ross off Ben Woodward (2-20), the Redbacks folded.
Panthers’ openers Shannon Walters (5 n.o.) and Greg Fennell (0 n.o.) safely negotiated a tricky six overs before stumps, finishing at 0-7.
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• Sedgwick has already defeated Maiden Gully.
The Gully didn’t fire a shot with the bat as they were bundled out for just 97 in the 49th over at Club Court.
It was an even bowling performance by the Rams, with the wickets shared between Jordan Ilsely (3-8 off 8), Lucas Baldwin (2-25 off 6), Andrew Sheehan (2-10 off 8) and Scott McKenzie (2-11 off 3.3), who all took multiples.
There was plenty of economical bowling figures for the Rams as Quinton Bentley (0-14 off 13), Sheehan, Ilsely and Justin Hancock (1-5 off 6) combined for 6-37 off 35 overs.
In an innings where seven Maiden Gully players were dismissed for six or less, opener Alex Gorrie’s 35 (five fours) stood out.
The Rams went to stumps with a lead already of 36 as they closed the day at 2-133 off just 23 overs.
Daniel Chamberlain (65, 11 fours) and Matt Dwyer (61) blasted the Rams past their target without the loss of a wicket as they shared in a 116-run opening stand.
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• United battled its way from 9-127 to post 176 against Mandurang at Ewing Park.
Wickets tumbled regularly throughout the innings until the last pair – Andrew Duguid (24 n.o.) and Damien Nihill (16) – added 49.
The Tigers at one stage lost 3-4 as they slumped from 4-98 to 7-102.
Beau Roy-Clements kept the screws on the Tigers’ batsmen with a tidy 3-11 off 9.2 overs, while the opening pair of James Pietromonaco (2-51 off 18) and Cain Ladiges (2-24 off 8) took two wickets each for the Rangas, who finished the day at 1-24.
• Spring Gully is well on the way to keeping its unbeaten record intact against Golden Gully.
The Crows need just 70 more runs with nine wickets in hand to topple the Cobras.
Spring Gully will resume its innings next week at 1-53 in reply to the Cobras’ 122 at California Gully Oval.
James Fox (4-36 off 18) snared four wickets for the Crows, who sent the Cobras in, while Nick Skeen (2-8 off 8) and Jesse Marciano (2-13 off 6) chipped in with two apiece.
Marciano also claimed three catches in what was a productive day in the field.
Only Jordan Knight (26) and Kansas Varker (25) made more than 20 for the Cobras, who were all out in the 52nd over.