Axe Creek's Emu Valley Cricket Association drought is over.
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After going 20 games without a win, dating back to round 11 of the 2019-20 season, Axe Creek scored a well-deserved victory over Sedgwick.
The win was set up by Axe Creek's bowling unit.
After conceding big scores of 233 and 314 in its previous two matches, Axe Creek bowled out the Rams for just 136.
Ash Dixon did the damage for the home side.
He picked up 5-22 off 6.2 overs to cut down the Rams, who at one stage had been well-placed at 2-84.
Dixon, who claimed the prized scalp of Sedgwicket skipper Jordan Ilsley for 22, received great support from Joel Bish (2-10).
Opener Dustin Elliott (33) was best with the bat for the Rams.
Axe Creek's reply started disastrously, losing Blake Hodgkiss for a golden duck off the first ball of the innings.
Dixon fell cheaply for one to leave Axe Creek 2-13 and there was a sense the home side might fold.
Enter Shiran Kulathunga.
The former Huntly-North Epsom batter decided the best form of defence was attack.
Kulathunga belted 14 boundaries and one six on his way to 73 off just 53 balls before he fell with victory in sight.
He had an able sidekick in Bish. The duo added 104 for the third wicket, with Bish making 46 off 71 balls.
Axe Creek finished 8-152 and celebrated the breakthrough win accordingly.
Lucas Baldwin (3-23) was the most successful Sedgwick bowler.
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Mandurang handed Spring Gully its first defeat of the season.
The home side bowled brilliantly to restrict Spring Gully to 8-144.
The Crows made a steady start to be 1-53 in the 14th over, but the game turned on its head thanks to Mandurang's Beau Clements (4-14 off eight overs).
He removed the in-form Jesse Marciano for eight to spark a stunning Gully collapse of 5-7.
Clements also picked up the crucial wickets of Rhys Webb for a duck and skipper Alex Sutton for a duck.
Father-and-son Byron and Tom Perrin tried to launch a rescue mission for Gully.
Tom made 34 and Byron 19 before the tailenders chipped in to lift the Crows to 144.
In reply, Mandurang overcame its own collapse to secure the points.
Phil Berry (47) and Clemens (23) added 74 for the first wicket, but when they fell the home side lost 4-15 to open the door for the Gully.
James Pietromonaco stepped up for Mandurang and made a match-winning 51 off 42 balls, including three sixes and five fours.
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The victory lifted Mandurang to third place on the ladder, while Spring Gully slipped to second.
Marong is the new ladder-leader after it scored a hard-fought win over West Bendigo.
The Panthers needed an unbeaten 57 from David Blume to see them over the line.
Chasing 159 for victory, Marong looked in control at 0-71, with Alex Gorrie (42) in form, before it lost 5-37 to fall to 108.
Blume kept his head and held the innings together as the Panthers won with four wickets to spare.
Josh Leech (2-15 off eight overs) was West Bendigo's best bowler.
Earlier, Amarpreet Singh's good form with the ball continued.
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The Marong opening bowler took 3-24 to help restrict the Redbacks to 9-158.
Matt Gallagher (37), Travis O'Connell (37) and Josh Eastley (34) were the only Redbacks to fire with the bat.
In the final match of the round, Emu Creek defeated California Gully by 44 runs.
The Creek set an imposing total of 8-239, with Todd Brown falling seven runs short of a century.
Youngster Zac Knapman (4-41) collected his best figures at senior level.
Cal Gully never looked like threatening the Emu Creek score.
Travis Nolan (45) and Jordan Knight (41) batted solidly for the Cobras and Brad Webster (48 not out off 30 balls) teed off late in the day to lift his side to 5-195.
.................................
LADDER
Marong 54.62
Spring Gully 52.53
Mandurang 50.11
United 40.74
Emu Creek 34.71
West Bendigo 25.19
Axe Creek 20.45
California Gully 10.57
Sedgwick 8.17
NEXT WEEK
Sedgwick v Spring Gully
United v West Bendigo
Axe Creek v Marong
Emu Creek v Mandurang
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