COOMEALLA Wentworth moved back up to third place on the Sunraysia Cricket Association ladder on Saturday on the back of a blistering 81 from middle order hitter Bevan Wade at Nichols Point.
The Blues restricted their hosts to just 5/118 from their 20 overs – with Leigh Thomson-Mathews (31 off 25), Riley Jobson (27 off 41) and skipper Brad Thomas 25 off 19) the best with the bat.
Wade took 2/18 and also had a run out to perform well on that side of the ball – but it was his batting efforts that highlighted the match.
He smashed eight sixes and four fours in his innings that lasted just 41 balls – bringing his 50 up off 27 deliveries faced.
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Opener Luke Cullinan was more reserved, with his 22 not out off 30 balls seeing Coomealla Wentworth home in the 16th over with six wickets remaining.
Blues captain Justin Freeman praised Wade’s power hitting.
“It’s been a long time coming with Bev, he’s been making 30s but we all know what he’s capable of hitting those big sixes,” he said.
“He took advantage of a small oval.”
Luke Coates took 2/16 for Nichols Point but his side’s bowlers were unable to capitalise on two early wickets and now face an even steeper uphill battle to make the finals.
“It’s always good to get a win on the board, especially against a team that you know you’ll be competing against for finals,” Freeman said.
“You want to stay above them on the ladder.
“We came in with a plan with the ball and to keep them to that score we stuck to that well, we were looking at 120 at the start of the day and got the runs nice and comfortable.”
Coomealla Wentworth now sit third on 80 points, percentage ahead of fourth-placed Settlers and 10 ahead of fifth placed West.
Nichols Point are on 50 points, three wins out of the four.
