Old Students’ top four comes up trumps to secure first innings points against Pine Lodge in Haisman Shield

Then, Vince Gagliardi’s charges backed it up with the bat, going on to secure first innings points by posting 6-245 with the top four making it past 40 or more.

Two straight wins will eventually be turned into three for Students on day two, and Saturday’s showing was another sparkling reason why the side should be considered an outside shout to make finals in the 2024-25 season.

And boy, it was spin to win for the Students.

While the opening quicks didn’t have much joy early on, once Callegari and Pike entered the fold, Pine Lodge began to buckle.

Lodger Hayden Cann was the only man on his side to make any considerable headway with the willow, jockeying along to 22 before he eventually lost his wicket to Jamie Carr.

After that, Pike and Callegari went tit for tat to clean up the rest of Pine Lodge’s order quick smart, literally turning on the style to finish with figures of 4-10 and 4-13 respectively.

Then it was time for Students’ bats to show out.

Callan McCabe and Sam O’Brien made it all the way through unscathed until the 21st over before the first wicket fell, James Nugent providing the respite as he removed O’Brien for 41.

However, in the Lodgers’ eyes, that was as good as it got for quite some time.

McCabe went on to hit a half-century at a rate of knots, as did Oscar Lambourn (52) and Felix Odell (64), and by the point McCabe eventually walked on 63, Students were well and truly in the driving seat.

A few breakthroughs late in the day gave the visiting side something to cheer about as Nugent (2-20), Travis Waters (2-21) and Cooper Adkins (2-63) got reward for their efforts with the ball.

However, Pine Lodge now faces a big task if it is to salvage anything from the game on day two.