As a trying season draws to an end, the Blackheath-Dimboola Bulls left some of their best form until last with a spirited performance against Colts on the local ground on Saturday.
On the first day of their last game for the season, the Bulls took the opportunity to bat first and suffered a slow start, with two wickets falling by the time their score had reached 12, but a 46 run partnership for the third wicket between Harry Young (24) and Elliott Braithwaite (29) steadied the innings.
Solid contributions by Justin Beugelaar (15), Judd Spokes (14), and Dan Polack (13) allowed the team to reach 124 when the last wicket fell.
Although not a huge total, this sort of target can be tricky to chase, and the Colts’ batsmen struggled as they tried to survive the remaining 25 overs in the day’s play rather than make an exerted effort to overhaul the total quickly.
Four wickets fell before they had made 20 runs, and another three just as the total reached the 30s had Colts limp to stumps on day one with just 34 runs on the board but for the loss of seven wickets.
Braithwaite with 3 for 3 off 6 overs, and Brodie Cramer with 3 for 12 off 8 overs dominated the bowling, with valuable support from Robert Somers who took one wicket, and Young who only conceded 8 runs from 4 overs.
Next Saturday the Bulls will still have to bowl and field at their best if they are to earn the points, as Colts still have seventy overs to score the remaining 91 runs they would need for a win, but it is the perfect opportunity for the locals to end their season on a high.
Horsham Cricket Association - A Grade - Round 18 - Day one of a two-day game
Blackheath-Dimboola
| H Young | lbw | b. J Newell | 24
| | C Hauselberger | ct. B Couch | b. D Arnott | 0
| | B Cramer | ct. B Couch | b. D Arnott | 3
| | E Braithwaite | | b. J Couch | 29
| | D Polack | | b. D Boddi | 13
| | L Hutchinson | ct. N Keel | b. J Couch | 6
| | J Spokes | | b. B Couch | 14
| | R Somers | | b. B Couch | 9
| | J Beugelaar | ct. R Frew | b. L Millar | 15
| | M Rosier | not out | | 2
| | B Andison | ct. M Thomas | b. L Millar | 2
| | Sundries | | | 7
| | TOTAL | | 124
|
Colts Bowling
| | O | M | R | W
| | R Frew | 5 | 2 | 10 | 0
| | D Arnott | 7 | 3 | 17 | 2
| | L Millar | 6.2 | 1 | 11 | 2
| | J Couch | 11 | 2 | 34 | 2
| | J Newell | 6 | 2 | 12 | 1
| | B Couch | 6 | 0 | 22 | 2
| | D Boddi | 5 | 0 | 14 | 1
|
Colts
| D DeGruchy | ct. L Hutchinson | b. B Cramer | 6
| | N Keel | ct. H Young | b. R Somers | 3
| | B Couch | ct. & | b. B Cramer | 15
| | D Arnott | lbw | b. E Braithwaite | 1
| | J Couch | ct. H Young | b. E Braithwaite | 0
| | L Millar | ct. D Polack | b. E Braithwaite | 1
| | R Frew | | b. B Cramer | 0
| | M Thomas | not out | | 1
| | D Boddi | not out | | 2
| | Sundries | | | 5
| | TOTAL | | 7 for 34
|
Blackheath-Dimboola Bowling
| | O | M | R | W
| | R Somers | 6.2 | 2 | 9 | 1
| | B Cramer | 8 | 0 | 12 | 3
| | E Braithwaite | 6 | 3 | 3 | 3
| | H Young | 4 | 2 | 8 | 0
|
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