A CHAOTIC opening day of the Sunraysia Cricket Association’s penultimate round brought about plenty of outstanding team and individual performances.
On the brink of missing their first finals series in over a decade, Mildura Settlers have shockingly already secured first innings points against top-of-the-table Irymple, with a vintage bowling spell from Mark Cleary the catalyst behind it.
The former Australia A player has rarely bowled this season but taking the new ball against the Swallows, Cleary’s 4/5, which included the top-four batsmen, saw the ladder leaders all out for just 62.
Skipper Mark Thomson provided the most resistance with 24, but alongside Cleary, Cooper Aldridge (3/13) and Brayden Wood (2/7) were able to roll the Swallows.
Setts in response are 7/130 on the back of 38 from Luke Stanbrook and 24 from both captain Braidyn Turner and Andrew Petrie. Thomson (3/26) and Billy Phelan (3/25) are the best of the bowlers so far.
Fourth-placed Coomella Wentworth look well on the way to securing a finals berth after first innings points against Mildura East, and will be chasing an outright victory this Saturday.
East were all out for 60 with a devastating opening spell from Justin Freeman (4/12) putting the home side on the back foot, before Bevan Wade (2/13) helped clean up the tail. East captain Josh Berry top scored with 19.
Wade would go on to make 42 as the Blues reached 5/82, giving them a 22-run lead before sending the home side back in. East will resume at 1/4 with Blake Meyers and night-watchman Surendra Prajapat at the crease.
To say we came this far into the story without even mentioning Gol Gol’s Shacaya Thomas blasting his third century of the season shows how much chaos reigned.
The reigning Innes Medal winner smacked 144 from 203 deliveries in a stellar performance to help the NSW side to a massive 291 against Mildura West, with Nick Jensen (49) and Jeremy Barnes (37) also making useful contributions.
West’s workhorse spinner Aaron Feroz finished with 7/93 from his 28.4 overs while Aaron McClelland took 2/55.
Nichols Point coach Shaun Mathews’ 72 has helped his side into a solid position against Merbein South, putting them in contention to claim their first win since the start of January.
Alongside the coach, Brett Cumming’s 23 helped the Pointers to 168, with Saints bowlers Hamim Miah (3/37) and Jarrod Forrester (3/44) among the wickets.
In response Merbein South are 4/40 after 22 overs, with Pointers paceman Rakii Woetei having taken all four scalps so far.
Saturday’s action could prove to be pivotal in race for finals.
