The Hounds were sent in by the Crushers in the competition’s second round, held at Cobram, and Peter Cassidy and Brad Hutchins kept the Hounds to 14 off their opening four overs.
Paul Newman and Tom Donnell took time to work into the game, and just after Newman smoked a boundary through cover, he skied one to Josh McDonald.
However, Donnell and number three Kyle Mueller ran well between the wickets, adding 29 for the second wicket before Donnell was bowled by Stuart Turner.
The Hounds were 3-80 after 10 overs, but Mueller and Jedd Wright kept the score going, with Wright dropped off the bowling of Ramadan Yze in the 11th over before dispatching him for two sixes in a row, but luckily for the Crushers gave another chance which was taken at cover.
In return, the Crushers started well, but the Hounds turned the screws through the middle overs with tight work in the field and consistent bowling and the Crushers couldn’t get the score ticking over.
Wright had Mitch Brett caught on the fence after bringing himself on to bowl the 15th over, leaving the Crushers at 4-79 with five overs to go, still 45 runs in arrears.
A sensational catch on the boundary removed Ash Saunders, with Adam Ward taking his second wicket and from there the Crushers were never a chance.
Atoning for the previous weekend's loss pleased Hounds’ keeper Mueller.
“It was good to get a win after we lost the first game. The (finals) hopes are alive,” he said.
He said the batting had improved after the opening round.
It was not too bad at the start, we lost a few wickets in the middle where it slowed down a bit,” Mueller said.
“Our batting was a bit more stable, got to 12 over mark where we still had wickets in hand so we could keep attacking at the back end.”
He said the hard running between the wicket was something which suited Donnell and himself early in the piece.
In the field, the additions of Ward and James Nanopoulos were huge inclusions for the Hounds.
“I think the bowling was really good, same as last week,” Mueller said.
“When you add class like that you can’t replace them if they’re not playing. It’s top notch.”
Crushers marquee Peter Cassidy said the Hounds were simply too good.
“They bowled better than us to be honest. We’ll learn from it, we’ve got a young side,” he said.
“We got off to a slow start and couldn’t get going in the middle.”
Cassidy was able to take on two teammates in Donnell and Nanopoulos and said it was one of the best parts of the tournament.
“We had a bit of fun, bit of banter. I owe him lunch for him getting me out,” he said.
“I bowled to Tommy and he said that’s enough, I can’t hit you.
“I didn’t get to bowl to Nanno, he ran himself out too quickly.”
Cassidy said he’d loved the tournament so far, and was hoping his side could rebound next week to make the final on January 31.
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