Juniors
U12 Blue
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It was the last game of the season for the U12’s and our Blue team showed the comp why they are the team to beat coming into finals.
Hosting Yarrawonga at Arundel St, the Blues sent the visitors in to bat and wasted no time in picking up some early wickets.
A couple of the Yarrawonga batters looked dangerous but the Blue Bushies held their ground with Tom Lambert leading the charge of wickets taking two.
Needing 101 to win the game, the top order turned it on with Toby Smith (35no) top scoring, but was well supported by Caleb Hein (28no), Ted Clancy (26no) and Tom Lambert (25no).
The Blue side sent a clear message to the other finals contenders and hopefully can go all the way.
Final Score:
U12 Blues – 3/162
Yarrawonga Rams – 6/100
U12 Red
Our U12 Red side travelled to Bindall Reserve to take on the Wangaratta Black side and were sent in to bat by the home team.
Bill Bourke was the pick of the batters with an impressive 29no to lead the Red team onto a challenging target of 138. Max Reynolds (15no), Hudson Pickering (16no), Archer Pickering (17no) and Jack McKenzie (18no) all making strong contributions to the score.
The bowling attack of the Red side was unforgiving as Wangaratta players found it hard to make runs. Josh Hooper had a great day out picking up two wickets in the same amount of overs.
Unfortunately, the Red team just missed out on a top four finish, but showed promising signs of things to come.
Final Score:
U12 Red – 3/138
Wangaratta Magpies Black – 8/63 (15.1)
U12 Green
Making the trip over to Yarrawonga on Friday night, the U12 Green team took on the Bulls.
The Bushies won the toss and chose to bowl. A couple of players for the Bulls started to get on a roll and helped set the target for the Green side to meet of 121.
There were four individual wicket takers for the Bushies, but Matthew White was amazing in the field hanging onto two catches.
Coming into bat, the Green team lost a couple of early wickets before Bentley Parker steadied with 12 runs before being dismissed and younger brother Finlay finished on 16no, hitting his first four ever.
Batter of the night was Matthew White who retired and was able to come back in finishing on 49no, incredibly unlucky not to get his half century before the overs were complete.
Final Score:
U12 Green – 7/144
Yarrawonga Bulls – 4/121
U14 Blue
Day one of the final game of the season, the U14 Blue team took on Greta at home at the Showgrounds.
Electing to bowl first, the Bushies got off to a good start but struggled to contain Greta’s number two batsman.
Xavier De Fazio and Tyson Williams both ended up with two wickets each and Josh Montgomery, Angus Hayes and Henry Briggs each took one a piece.
The star of the day was Alex Lambert who had four overs, 3-13 with those three wickets coming as a hat trick.
The Bushies will have to bat well next week and have a target of 137 to make in order to win the game.
U14 Red
The Red’s first day took them over to Yarrawonga and the home team won the toss and sent the Bushies in for a bat.
Angus Leavold and Showrik Das opened the batting and Angus got the team off to a good start making a solid 16.
Jack Hart came in at number four and looked dangerous. After sending quite a few balls to the boundary he went out on a mistimed shot with 25 runs to his name.
Tom Mount steadied the team and finished out the overs with 38no helping his team set the score of 133 to beat.
Hopefully they can defend that score and cement themselves the top spot before finals.
U16
The U16’s team can be a bit unpredictable at times. This week was no different and they looked in trouble very early on at a score of 5-35.
Josh Hart and Koby Ross came in together and batted smart and patiently. Although they both scored 41 runs each, their partnership at the crease added on a much needed 91 runs.
The Bushies were eventually bowled out for 147 with 3 overs still left in the game.
They have defended smaller totals that this, so next week they will have to bring everything they can and play tight to hold onto second place.
Seniors
A Grade
A Grade travelled up the freeway to Wangaratta on the weekend in their first day against Rovers.
Choosing to bat first the Bushies started strong with Brayden Stepien (37) and James Carboon (15) getting the runs ticking over.
Ross Cavill continued his brilliant form with 54, but unfortunately that was the last of the big scores as the lower order struggled to make any significant impact.
After 72 overs, the Bushies were all out for 173.
Next week will be a challenge but one that the A Graders are keen to accept.
B Grade
The Bushies travelled over to Myrtleford to meet Ovens Valley in what ended up being a nail biter.
Electing to bowl first, the Bushrangers started strong, dismissing the opener for only 10 runs.
Their number four was stoic to the end, putting on 57 runs, but the Bushies were able to clear the scorecard with some brilliant bowling from Brendan Duncombe, who took home five scalps and ended with figures of 5-25 off eight.
Needing 143 for the win, the Bushies came into bat and Cody Crawford (46) got off to the perfect start.
Matthew Priest (15), Mat Hadj (11) and Stewart McLeod (11) tried to keep the scorecard ticking over and Brendan Duncombe was as good with the bat as he was with the ball finishing on 35no trying to get the Bushies over the line.
Unfortunately, they fell just short still with plenty of overs in hand.
Final Score:
B Grade – 10/139 (28.1)
Ovens Valley – 8/142 (36)
C Grade
For the third time this season, the two C Grade sides came up against each other in the final grudge match of the season.
With Red holding bragging rights, the Blue team was determined to walk away with this win.
Blue won the toss and chose to bowl first.
Greg Hoysted and Jordan Smith for the Red side went out to open and after Greg was dismissed for an LBW early the hopes of a big score were left on the shoulders of Jordan who saw out the game and ended on 64no.
Bryce Cooney chipped in with a hard fought nine runs and Daniel Hooper with eight of his own.
Josh Hart picked up from his great form the week before and got rid of three Red batters in quick succession. Jack Hart, Hugh Ross, Tom Osborne and Mark Osborne all chipped in with one wicket a piece.
Setting the target at 112 to win, the Blue team went out to bat.
Josh Hart and Darren Skelton got the campaign underway and were causing all sorts of headaches making it a hard task for Red to grab that elusive first wicket.
Darren Skelton was finally caught by Chris Lindsay off a Jordan Smith delivery for 61 and Josh’s older brother, Nathan, came in to bat.
A quick little partnership was formed and Josh was eventually sent off, retired for 30, so the youngest Hart could come and have a hit with his older brother too.
It was quite a special moment in the game and Steve Hart certainly felt the enormity of being able to play a game of cricket with his three boys. It’s everything the father and son team is about.
After 29 overs, the target was obtained and the Blues came away with the win.
Final Score:
C Grade Red – 7/111 (36)
C Grade Blue – 2/112 (29.2)
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