South Gambier v Penola
Penola got its first victory of the season with a big win over South Gambier at Blue Lake Sports Park on Saturday.
With just two matches left in the season Penola knew this match was its best chance to avoid going winless for the season.
After posting a massive total of 260, Penola had plenty of runs to defend and South Gambier started the day in a precarious position of 1/7.
It did not take too long for Penola to snare the first wicket of the day with Adam Kuhl caught on 14 with Gerard Merrett picking up his second wicket of the match.
Jakob Opie did not hang around for long, only scoring four before being bowled for Merrett’s third wicket of the match and second for the day.
Merrett continued to rip through the South Gambier batting line up, bowling Noah Maxwell for a two ball duck.
Jake Hollis managed to get eight runs before he succumbed to Merrett’s bowling as Penola quickly closed down his five-fer.
Sam Bradbrook continued to toil at the other end as Michael Waters then joined in the wicket taking, picking up two quick wickets of Stephen Easterbrook and Robert Drethen cheaply.
Bradbrook was eventually brought undone by Joshua Doyle on 34 caught LBW, as South Gambier fell to 8-104.
Kobi Maxwell was batting well as he quickly managed to get to 27, with Merrett getting a run out and then bowling Adam Vause for one.
South Gambier finished 10/113, falling 147 runs short of Penola’s first innings total.
Penola had another chance to bat and continued to strike the ball well with March and Mullan having another big opening stand.
It was Mullan doing most of the damage with the bat, as March was caught and bowled by Kobi Maxwell on seven, bringing to a close a 51 run partnership.
Adam Vause took the important wicket of Penola captain Michael Waters on five as Penola was reduced to 2/72.
Vause picked up another quick wicket of Tom Clayfield on six.
Mullan’s impressive innings was brought to an end by Jakob Opie, caught by Vause.
Mullan scored 60 off 58 deliveries including seven fours and a six.
Finn Maccoll was the final wicket to fall for the day caught LBW by Easterbrook, as Penola finished the match 5/143.
Jack Schulz finished not out on 27, while Merrett also finished not out on 16.
Merrett was the best player on day two after finishing unbeaten and snaring 6/36 with the ball and taking a run out.
The final result was a big win for Penola which has struggled this season.
It will give the side hope there’s still much to take out of this year despite some tough results.
West Gambier v Mil Lel
West Gambier has all but confirmed a top spot finish on the Barber Shield ladder ahead of the finals with a big win over Mil Lel in round 9.
West Gambier was in a tough position at the start of day one, but managed to claw itself well and truly back into the game before the end of the day’s play.
With Mil Lel starting the day 7/39 it was going to be a long way back for the visitors to get ahead of West Gambier’s first innings total of 156.
Nick Walters resumed at the crease but could not add to his overnight total with Justin De Jong getting Walters’ edge and Jayden Prior having no problems with the gloves.
Brad Hann managed to add eight runs to Mil Lel’s total but Shane De Jong took his first wicket of the match with Hann caught by Jack Geddes.
At nine down Mil Lel was in serious trouble with Darcy Williamson and Harry Hicks at the crease.
The pair provided Mil Lel with some hope and caused some nerves for West Gambier.
Both rotated the strike well and found the boundary when needed, with Hicks getting to 20 off 21 deliveries before Williamson was dismissed with Shane De Jong picking up his second wicket of the day.
Williamson was caught on 31 off 47 deliveries, his innings included five fours as Mil Lel was all out for 104.
Despite a good final partnership Mil Lel fell 52 runs short of West Gambier’s first innings total.
It only took three deliveries for West Gambier to lose its first wicket in the second innings with Justin De Jong hitting a Nick Walters ball straight Harry Hicks who snatched up the catch.
Nuwan Gunawardana and Jayden Prior steadied the ship after the early wicket of De Jong as the pair piled on the runs.
Gunawardana’s innings came to an end on 29, caught behind off the bowling of Harry Hicks, while Prior batted on before he was caught on 32 for Darcy Williamson’s first wicket of the match.
Williamson picked up another wicket later in the day, breaking a big partnership between Jake Blackwell and Bray Stephenson.
Blackwell was caught on 36 after an impressive innings which included six fours.
Stephenson finished not out on 47, with Sam Willis also finishing not out on six.
At the end of the day’s play West Gambier finished 4/167, claiming a comfortable victory over Mil Lel.
East Gambier v North Sportsman’s
East Gambier claimed an important win over North Sportsman’s at Allan Scott Park on Saturday as the side cruised past North’s total to jump ahead of the Tigers in second place on the Mount Gambier and District Cricket Association ladder with one round to go.
After North Sportsman’s won the toss and elected to bat first the side was bowled all out for 99 on the first day of play.
Ben Robinson and Alex Hill resumed at the crease with 72 runs to chase with nine wickets in hand.
The first partnership of the day got East Gambier off to a good start as the side reduced the required runs to 41 when Alex Hill was caught and bowled by Elliot Fisher.
Emerson Marks joined Robinson at the crease and the pair batted well together, taking the Doggies past North Sportsman’s total with eight wickets still in hand, Robinson brought up his half century soon after passing North’s total.
Marks was out the following over for 17 bowled by Mathew Robinson, Ben Robinson followed quickly with Mathew Robinson trapping him LBW for 51.
Hoping to then go through the batting lineup quickly and perhaps get another chance with the bat North brought the pressure, but Ben Hentschke and Marc Roberts handled it well, increasing the lead to the 40s.
Mathew Robinson again took two quick wickets with Roberts caught on 11 while Riley Flamank only lasted three balls before being caught for Robinson’s fourth wicket of the day.
Hentschke was able to carry on his innings while wickets fell but was eventually brought undone by a ball from Tim Young, caught on 26.
Evan Clark made five runs before becoming Alex Hutton’s first wicket of the day, bringing Connor Little to the crease with Liam Turley and the pair provided some solid late runs for East Gambier.
Turley hit two fours and a six for his 23 with Isaac Mulraney providing the breakthrough, and he finished cleaning up the tail, bowling Alex Hentschke for three.
Connor Little finished 14 not out as the East Gambier innings was brought to a close at 10/194.
East Gambier secured a big win, scoring 94 more runs than required.
Mathew Robinson was the pick of the bowlers for the Tigers with figures of 4/18, while Isaac Mulraney and Elliot Fisher both pitched in with two wickets each.
With one round to go East Gambier sits second and North Sportsman’s just one spot behind in third, as both enter the final round eyeing off a top two finish.
