East Gambier has crashed out of the Dycer Constructions Big Bash in humiliating fashion following a severe touch-up from West Gambier at Scott Park last week.
It was a must-win clash for the Bulldogs if they were to reach the next phase of the tournament and it was always going to be a tough task against the only undefeated team in Pool A.
Eventually the circumstances got the better of East which crumbled to 85 all out and the game was all over inside 25 overs.
The visitors put the pressure straight onto the home side’s shoulders sending the Dogs into bat.
Leigh Von Duve and Dion Stratford started well getting through the first two overs without trouble to provide a solid start.
Stratford had been tied down slightly and was clean bowled for three before he could find his timing and Bray Stephenson’s early wicket brought Ben Hentschke to the crease.
After scoring just a single from their seven balls together, Hentschke and Von Duve started to put the foot down. The remaining opener showed the most amount of aggression striking a couple of big sixes to speed up to 32.
But Von Duve was outfoxed by Richard Crute, who turned the game as soon as he ran into bowl.
Crute’s two-over spell conceded just four runs, but more importantly took the big wickets of Von Duve and Alex Hentschke.
Suddenly the base of East’s strong platform of 1/44 shattered and the innings fell apart.
During a 19-ball stretch without a boundary Nathan Gore fell to Justin DeJong as the West skipper decided to have some fun.
In DeJong’s following over he snuck through Ben Hentschke’s previously strong defence and created a false stroke from youngster Jack Lawrence in the space of three balls before removing James Sullivan for another single-figure score.
His four-over spell of 4/16 left East in tatters and ninth-wicket pair Liam Turley and Alec Roberts did their best to salvage some pride.
The pair had a quarter of the innings still to bat, but could only get the 17th over when the imposing Crute returned to mop up the tail.
Roberts was caught by Connor Prior, while the innings ended next ball in comical fashion when Matt Bennett was run out by Sam Willis for a diamond duck.
The calamity summed up East’s evening with the bat being bundled out for 85 in 17.2 overs, the side’s second instance of being bowled out for less than a 100 in this competition.
Only Von Duve and Ben Hentschke reached double figures, while Crute claimed 3/5 from his 3.2 overs. The meagre total allowed the Roos to skip with delight to an undefeated campaign.
West openers Niall Easterbrook and Jake Blackwell were in no mood of hanging around and looked to chase the total down as quickly as possible.
Easterbrook smashed a boundary off his first ball, while it did not take long for Blackwell to join the party as the ball flew to all parts of Scott Park.
It was a painful period for the dejected Bulldogs fielders as West flew to 50 from 25 balls.
The milestone was brought up from a horrendous start to Gore’s spell which saw 17 runs scored from three legal deliveries as a hat-trick of fours were followed by five wides.
After slamming 39 runs from 18 balls, Easterbrook went too hard a Ben Hentschke leg-break and was stumped by Stratford, but the wicket was little cause for celebration.
Blackwell was still in fine form and sealed the win in style smashing a six straight towards his team mates over long on.
