The Yarrawonga Mulwala A Grade have moved into 4th spot on the WDCA ladder with a strong win over the Benalla Bushrangers at home last Saturday.
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After bowling the Bushies out for 95 the week before, the Lakers resumed their innings at 1/26 at the start of the day.
Things didn’t begin ideally for the Lakers as young Van Kreeck was run out early in the piece.
However, Brock McCabe joined Reid Clarke at the crease and the pair set about building a partnership by rotating the strike.
The pair were able to add 73 runs to the total, surpassing the Bushies score of 95 before Clarke fell, caught for 60.
McCabe was next to go, unluckily dismissed LBW for a well compiled 43. The runs began to dry up for the Lakers as did the wickets tumble.
Matt Knight (21) was the only other Laker able to reach double figures before the home side was bundled out for 152.
With points still up for grabs, the Lakers entertained sending the Bushrangers out to bat for another 16 overs in the hope to take some wickets away with them.
Gus Heslin struck immediately yet again, removing the dangerous Stepien having him caught behind. Heslin then picked up another, catching the edge yet again this time caught in second slip by Angus McMillan.
Ben Welsh was given the opportunity to unleash his off spin late in the game.
Welsh used the conditions to his benefit beautifully, picking up two late wickets LBW and caught and bowled to help his team pick up four handy wickets to close out the day. The victory moves the Lakers into the top four with an important contest against the City Colts to come this weekend.
A match that rivalled the miracle on grass
This week A reserve travelled to Barr Reserve 2 to face the Wangaratta Magpies. After winning the toss Wangaratta decided to push the tempo early and put some runs on the board.
Andrew Dishot and John Taylor were thrown the new ball and delivered, removing the two top batters for the Magpies helped with an athletic catch from the athletic Fraser Smart.
After a couple of dropped catches, Wangaratta started to gain some momentum so Captain Hill decided it was time to bring out A Reserves secret weapon.
Keeper turned gun bowler Smart was told to warm up… It didn’t take long before Smart produced taking a wicket in his first over.
But in his second the speed dial was turned up, with 3 deliveries in a row that rivalled prime Glenn McGrath to take a miracle hatrick and clean up the Wangaratta batters. Supported by TJ Docking at the other end, Smart finished with 5/6 off 2.5 overs. Wangaratta bowled out for 108.
After the break Hill and Smart opened, Hill quickly dismissed along with Buerckner and Connell for not many. Smart bashed the ball around for a quick fire 22 before being skittled by one that just went straight.
After the short collapse Sam ‘mule’ Lidgerwood came in to steady the ship, ticking the scoreboard along with a couple of key cameos to chase the total down in 21 overs, Lidgerwood finishing on 58 not out to take the 3 votes.
A good win to stay on top of the ladder. A Reserve take on Ovens Valley at home next week.
Thorpe punishes Ovens Valley
Ovens Valley United 5/125 def by Yarrawonga Mulwala 9/175
This week B grade travelled to Whorouly to take on Ovens Valley and after winning the toss the boys were having a bat first.
Hudson Gillies and Gary Browning opened up getting off to a good start before Hudson chopped on for 12.
Gary continued to score playing patiently from his end as Geoff Montgomery, Mitch Pettit and Lach Phillips all fell cheaply with the scores at 4-47 at drinks.
From here the boys needed a spark and Ethan Thorpe was up to the challenge playing great attacking shots with Gary doing the same from the other end before Gary fell for 37 with the scores at 5-87.
It was the very next over that Thorpey flipped the switch hitting 24 off the over making his first 50 off just 25 balls.
At the end of the innings Xave Dowling contributed well for 24 to get the scores to 9-175 at the break.
After the break Jyda House and Will Murphy were thrown the new ball as the Ovens Valley pair got off to a good start before Jyda House broke through.
From here on the Ovens Valley batsman weren’t worried about chasing the game going into survival mode as Lach Phillips and Hunter Fraunfelder got a wicket and Geoff Montgomery 2 as Ovens valley finished there overs at 5-125 falling 50 runs short of the total.
Next week the boys travel to Greta in their second last game before finals.
C Grade ride the weather rollercoaster to victory
Benalla Bushrangers Red 4/122 def by Yarrawonga Mulwala 4/123.
It was a day of four seasons in one as the Lakers took on Benalla Red, experiencing everything from blistering winds to the kind of sunshine that makes you regret not putting sunscreen on your bald spot.
Lakers skipper and part-time umpire advisor Pops (Brear) won the toss and confidently chose to bowl, hoping the wild winds would send a few wickets tumbling—only to suddenly remember they were three bowlers short.
Enter Chrome Dome (Pickering), or rather, exit Chrome Dome, who fell victim to an ill-advised vindaloo the night before. He may not have been making runs on the field, but he sure was off it.
With limited options, the new ball was handed to 2 First Names (Michael) and Baby Giraffe (Parker).
They bowled with good line and length but struggled to find a breakthrough, though they kept the Bushrangers scoring at a glacial pace.
Thankfully, Choppers (Leeburn) was back behind the stumps, calling the shots like an overenthusiastic air traffic controller.
House Chores (Hawking) was supposed to open the bowling but showed up 15 minutes late due to unfinished domestic duties (fold your washing next time, mate).
Meanwhile, Late Night Texts (Gove) came in for his 27th retirement comeback of the season, delivering his first two overs in a pair of Crocs—thankfully, they were in sports mode.
Despite these questionable footwear choices, the bowling unit kept things tight, holding the Bushrangers to just 51 after 18 overs.
Some charitable fielding, however, allowed them to scrape together 122.
The opening pair of Slim Shady (Hargreaves) and Blocka (Wilson) started cautiously—so cautiously, in fact, that they spent the first few overs shadow batting.
Blocka, however, found his rhythm and smashed an unbeaten 57, while Slim Shady chipped in with a respectable 21 before making way for the red-hot Number Cruncher, who unfortunately resembled my bank balance after a tax return—gone in seconds. Then came House Chores, who made up for his tardiness by actually middling the ball this week.
He and Blocka put on a crucial 60-run stand before Young Govey made the briefest of cameos. That left Choppers to step up and finish things in style—blasting a four off his second delivery to seal the win.
A fantastic win for the Lakers, followed by the usual brown cordial celebrations at Gardens Oval before migrating to the Goorambat Hotel for more brown cordials and an in-depth analysis of Blocka’s heroic 50 (which, let’s be honest, he’s probably still talking about).
All in all, a great day of cricket—vindaloo-related casualties aside.
Under 14 Bulls keep season alive
Yarrawonga Mulwala Bulls 10/151 def Wangaratta Magpies White 10/78.
The young Bulls kept their season alive with a near perfect bowling performance, bowling out Wangaratta Magpies for 78 chasing 151.
Jack Browning and Finn Wood used the strong breeze at their backs to generate pace and shake up the Maggies opening batters.
Taj Parker came on replacing Browning and instantly got their opening batter out, clean bowled.
The fielding was at a high level and keeping the pressure on the Maggies batters.
Jordan Knight, 2/3 off 3 overs bowled with pace and precision, including being on a hat trick.
Byron Dodd came on swinging the ball both ways and narrowly missing a hat trick whilst claiming 4 wickets for 7 runs off his 4 overs.
This was the last game at home for the year and the boys would like to thank Ash Gove and Matt McCabe for preparing the a perfect pitch on the turf for the boys to play. They are very lucky to have these facilities at an under 14 level.
Next week is the last two dayer where the Bulls travel to Greta to keep their season alive.
Under 12 Rams rally to win away
Yarrawonga Mulwala Rams 4/99 def Benalla Bushrangers Red 6/90.
On a cool summers morning the Yarrawonga Mulwala Rams travelled to Benalla to take on Benalla Bushrangers Red at the Arundel street oval.
Winning the toss the Rams elected to field first. The O’Brien brothers (Ned and Finn) combined to get the first wicket with some fine fielding.
Layken Saunders bowled a consistent line and length to claim 1 for 6 off his two overs, Finn O’Brien backed his fellow bowlers up to take 1 for 10 from 3 overs.
George Kennedy was the main wicket taker, to finish with 2 for 7 off his two overs. The Bushrangers finished their innings with a total of 6/90 from their 20 overs.
The Rams got their innings off to a solid start with Finn O’Brien scoring freely before retiring. Hugo Bott continued his good form, finding the boundary on two occasions. Ned O’Brien (12 retired), Layken Saunders (11 retired) and Paddy Doyle (2 retired) all provided great support.
Finn O’Brien and Bott returned to the crease and quickly picked up where they left off, scoring runs at will to help the Rams reach the Bushrangers target and finish with a total of 4/99.
The Rams will be looking to finish the home and away season on a positive note next week, when they take on ladder leaders Benalla Bushrangers Blue.
Under 12 Lakers avenge early season loss to Benalla Green
Yarrawonga Mulwala Lakers 4/104 def Benalla Bushrangers Green 10/55.
Windy conditions greeted the Lakers at Vic Park no 2 oval on Saturday morning as they hosted Benalla green, a team that had previously given the Lakers a fair old touch up.
It was spoken about to bring the best cricket and really take it up to them, and the Lakers certainly did that.
After being sent into bat, skipper Isaac McLarty and Billy Vagg opened up, and got off to a flyer, both retiring on 16 and 10.
Benalla was bowling tightly and Will Cruikshank took on the Benalla fielder in a tight single, but a direct hit saw him short of his ground.
Rosie Lidgerwood batted patiently to retire on 1, and Kirsty Plevnik was playing some nice shots to push the score along, she retired on 9.
The Lakers then found the going difficult losing Finn, Ollie and Rory cheaply, before Eamon Pickering and Blake Miller came to the crease and batted beautifully to push the score past 100.
Eamon was unbeaten on 15 and Blake on 10.
At the break the Lakers posted a very competitive 5/104.
The kids knew that they needed to bowl and field well to defend their total, and it could not have started any better with Finn McDonald taking a screamer catch off Blake’s bowling in the first over.
Eamon took a wicket in the next over thanks to another great catch by Billy, then Ollie McDonald produced 2 absolute Jaffa deliveries to hit the stumps twice in the next over. Finn, Rosie and Isaac joined in the party taking a wicket each, before Blake took another one to have Benalla on the ropes at drinks, 8 out for 54.
2 balls after drinks it was all wrapped up with Eamon taking another scalp, and then Isaac throwing the stumps down from the deep with a tremendous piece of fielding to close the innings out.
A great team performance, from the group, who are building momentum at the right time of the year.
Under 12 Bulls
Wangaratta Magpies Black 5/112 def Yarrawonga Mulwala Bulls 6/111.
Yarrawonga Chronicle