AFTER achieving the highest team score for the 2021-22 Sunraysia Cricket Association campaign so far, Coomealla Wentworth have their sights set on knocking over ladder leaders Irymple.
Despite coach Liam Freeman previously acknowledging the Blues’ batting issues, his side’s 8/273 from 80 overs, a run rate of just under three-and-a-half per over, proved his side can hold the bat.
Darby McLean was the only player to reach a half century with 53, but 44 from skipper Matt Job, 36 from Justin Freeman and 33 from both Bevan Wade and Luke Cullinan help propel the Blues forward.
The pressure is back on the top of the table Swallows, who are yet to lose a game this season.
“It was really good to see everyone chip in with the bat. It’s been slowly building for us and glad to see it’s finally paid off,” Freeman said.
“We set our plans and we stuck to them throughout the innings.
“It’s always good to do it against the top team too, Irymple have a strong bowling attack. We’ve faced a couple of the better sides in recent weeks, we feel we’ve performed pretty well.
“The next thing I guess is to try and convert some of those scores into bigger innings but we’re pretty happy with the way it’s trending.”
Despite the Blues’ batting having been their biggest issue so far, they have the two highest team totals of the season, last week’s 273 and a second innings 252 against Mildura Settlers before Christmas as they chased bonus points.
The Swallows have won comfortably in their past two games chasing totals, but going for a season-high tally already puts some extra pressure on.
Bryson Lush and Jarrad Armsden are among the top scorers for the season, while Jordan Payne and Nick Giofre have also had some decent knocks of late.
Coomealla Wentworth, however, does have a strong bowling unit and Freeman hopes it will be put to good use.
“We’ve got different plans for each of the batters, but if we just bowl to our areas, we’re in with a good shout,” he said.
“We’ll just keep hitting the spot, try and build the pressure and wait for the batters to make a mistake. We’ve got the bowlers to be able to do that.”
Play resumes from 1pm today at Henshilwood Oval.
Merbein South v Mildura Settlers
MILDURA Settlers are in the box seat to return to the winners list following consecutive losses to start the new year.
After dismissing Merbein South for 151 last week, Setts resume on 2/49 after 16 overs, with Paddy Keogh not out on 30 and Luke Stanbrook on six. Skipper Braidyn Turner and Cameron Kiel are already back in the sheds.
The veteran combination of Richie Wyld (five wickets) and Mark ‘Cabbage’ Kerr (three) did the damage last week to the Saints’ batting order,
Mark East looms as a good off-season pick-up for Merbein South having now made half-centuries in consecutive games, while Dillon Furze, Tony Trinick and Hamim Miah all made scores in the 20s.
Miah is the side’s leading run scorer but has also shown the ability to take wickets, as has Robbie Roelofs, while Jarrod Forrester and Trinick are consistent performers with the ball.
The fact Setts still have Richie Wyld, Mark Cleary and Andrew Petrie to bat puts them in a strong position to chase the necessary 103 runs for victory.
Mildura East v Gol Gol
GOL Gol are in prime position to retain second place on the SCA ladder after setting Mildura East a target of 212 for victory.
That’s an impressive total considering the NSW side were at one stage 5/88, but solid lower order innings from debutant Kain Berryman (32 not out) and Luke Hickey (32) were enough to break the 200 mark.
East skipper Josh Berry was unafraid to throw the ball around with nine players having a bowl including the Hunt family combination of Matt and sons Jayden and Zane.
Andrew Ross certainly built the most pressure, taking 4/16 from 16 overs, which also included nine maidens and a hat-trick opportunity.
With no Tom Vadlja this round, East will be reliant on Berry, Blake Meyers and Aaron Cordell to set up the innings at the top of the order.
Another Golly debutant in Riley Burns will get his chance to open his first division wicket account, while Luke Hickey and Nick Jensen are both inside the top 10 wicket takers for the competition.
Nichols Point v Mildura West
You get the feeling this contest will be one that has a huge bearing on potential finals ambitions for both Nichols Point and Mildura West.
The Pointers were all out for 128 last week, but were able to put the pressure back on West by leaving them two down for just seven runs in six overs.
Lachlan McCarty (two) and Locke Thornton (three) will resume batting after Dan Chapman and Jack Norton dismissed Davison Mbindi and Scott Knudsen respectively.
For the Pointers, coach Shaun Mathews led the way with 41, with Lewis Dichiera holding down the fort to make 33.
English spinner Aaron Feroz impressed for West with 5/29 from almost 28 overs, with Shane Driscoll taking 3/7 from 12 economic overs.
While West are third on the table and Nichols Point sixth, less than three points separate the two sides.
