After a brief warmup in the heat, Brendan ‘Wedge’ Clarke, father of opening Lakers batsman Reid presented Adam ‘Doddy’ Dodd his first A grade cap.
Wedge’ shared nostalgic tales of clashes with ‘Doddy’ from their days in the former Yarrawonga & District Cricket Association. Congratulations, Doddy.
Benalla won the toss and batted first. Benalla got off to a flyer and were 0/40 from just 7 overs.
Anything past the infielders was a boundary as the outfield was lightning fast.
Angus McMillan and Jim Irvine soon found their rhythm with the new ball.
Irvine then took the prized wicket of Priyank Chohan, caught Kyle Archibald at cover point. Benalla now 1/41.
With the very next ball, Benalla’s number three batsman was walking back to the pavilion after he shouldered arms to a ball that was ripping middle stump out of the ground – dismissed LBW for 0.
Irvine narrowly missed out on his hat trick while McMillan’s left-arm seam bowling remained threatening.
Benalla dug in but the run rate slowed as the temperature rose to 36 degrees.
However, while the heat continued to rise, Wedge’ and son of a gun Jordan Knight – fresh off his 21 runs in the juniors that morning carried the drinks for the team.
Benalla scratched their way to 2/75 until Brock McCabe took the ball and flighted his crafty leg spinners throughout the middle overs.
Brock got extra bounce from the hard surface and managed to rip out the Benalla middle order.
Two caught at first slip by Matt Knight and one caught by his older brother Matt McCabe at mid-off.
Brock McCabe finishing with three wickets from his 12 overs. Suddenly, Benalla were 5/86 from 25 overs after their flying start.
Jobe Fraser, fresh from his 100 runs earlier in the morning playing for the red-hot Yarrawonga under 16s, bowled his spinners from the other end.
Soon removing the top scoring and opening batsman Michael Honman lbw for 59.
Matt McCabe took the ball from Jobe and made an immediate impact.
Matt attacked the stumps and skittled the stumps over both times for two wickets in two balls to join Jim on a hattrick attempt.
Matt also missed out narrowly on his hat trick attempt but finished the Benalla innings at 10/106 from 35 overs.
The bowlers finished Brock McCabe 3/27 off 12 overs, Jim Irvine 2/19 off 5, Matt McCabe 2/2 off 2 – Richie Benaud would be proud.
Fraser finished with 1/7 off 4 and run outs to Brock McCabe and Jobe Fraser.
McMillan bowled well and was unlucky to finish without wickets.
The Lakers enjoyed afternoon tea and then padded up to chase Benalla’s score.
The weather started to change and some clouds covered the area while a balmy breeze brewed.
Opening pair Matt Knight and Reid Clarke started strongly, punishing the Benalla bowling attack and finding the gaps to hit the boundary fence regularly.
Knight played some powerful shots and reached 50 runs quickly.
Clarke patiently batted at the other end and regularly pivoted his head in the air as he watched the ball ping from Knights bat straight down the ground and into the leafy trees of the Benalla gardens.
Clarke played a fine cut shot that got applauded from the boundary ropes. However, Clarke was soon to be bowled for 17. Brock McCabe joined Knight at the crease and played Pat Cummins while Knight went Glenn Maxwell mode.
Bashing his first 100 for the season off just 86 balls.
Knight waved his bat to his son Jordy who was eagerly watching on with the team.
The Lakers reached Benalla’s 106 runs for the loss of just 1 wicket.
However, Knight was soon caught on the boundary line and Brock McCabe (10 runs), Jobe Fraser (4 runs) and Angus McMillan (0 runs) were soon removed in the space of 2 overs.
The Lakers now 5/145.
Debutant Adam Dodd and second gamer for the season Ben McDonald batted patiently to see out the final overs of the days play. Dodd punished any width to the boundary to finish 27 not out.
The Lakers 5/176 with a 70 run lead and a day’s play to come next week.
Another team effort from the Lakers with some fine bowling and fielding that put the pressure on Benalla all day.
Knight stole the show and his ton was not only entertaining but enjoyed by his son Jordan who the A Grade all thank for his efforts.
Special mention to Wedge and Hicksy for their support on such a hot day too.
