Lakers win top of the table clash!

Both teams were in red hot form and the wicket was hard, bouncy and had some damp patches on the edge of the square from overnight rain. The outfield was slower than expected, but overall, it provided value for shots for the batsmen.

Long-time supporters Wedge’ Clarke, Lee Fraser and Lisa Kreeck sought shade and set up their deck chairs underneath the enormous gum trees that surrounded the oval as they watched their respective sons and anticipated the game ahead.

The Lakers warmed up and Jim Irvine did the toss. Irvine took the captain duties this week while regular captain Kyle ‘Larkin-Pastrana’ Archibald recovers from his attempt to endo his new steel horse. Regardless, Irvine lost the toss, and Colts decided to bat.

Sunscreen and zinc were applied generously as the sun continued to appear through the clouds. Irvine took the new white ball with Angus Heslin. Irvine bowled with the wind behind him while Heslin pushed up into the breeze.

Heslin struck first, removing the Colts captain’s middle stump as he attempted to play across the line to a straighter ball. Colts 1/9.

The dot ball pressure built up from Heslin and Irvine as they both began to swing the ball around.

Shortly after, the other Colt’s opening bat tickled a ball off his hip from Irvine down the leg side. However, Heslin, who was resting at backward square leg pounced and threw down the stumps for a run out. Colts 2/11 after just a couple of overs.

With the Colts reeling their batsmen consolidated and ticked the scoreboard over while the Lakers continued to apply the pressure both with the ball and in the field.

The wicket was bouncing and Zach Moore, at first slip, adjusted his positioning while Angus McMillan was handed the ball. It wasn’t long before McMillan and Moore combined to find the batsman’s edge - Moore taking the textbook catch at first slip.

Van Kreeck, in for his second game, bowled into the wind to replace Heslin.

Kreecky’ again bowled with pace beyond his years and kept the batsmen guessing as the ball thudded into Reid Clarke’s gloves behind the stumps.

Lakers new strike bowler Matt McCabe took the ball from McMillan and bowled with the wind. Before long, Kreeck combined with Matt McCabe for the next wicket as the Colts batsmen smashed the ball to deep mid-on, caught Kreeck.

Then the ever-reliable Brock McCabe spun his leggies on the bouncy wicket into the wind to replace Kreeck.

Brock McCabe tied down the Colt’s innings further as they reached the halfway drinks break 4/60 after 20 overs.

Matt McCabe returned and struck right after the drinks break with a catch at gully from McDonald. McCabe went on to take another two wickets – one bowled and one caught and bowled to round out the innings to tear the game apart. Despite some lower-order hitting, the Lakers were still able to restrict the Colts’ innings to 116 after 37 of their 40 overs.

The other bowlers, Heslin, Irvine and McCabe were rewarded with wickets in their second spells, including a blinder of a catch at point by Brock McCabe from Irvine’s bowling – McCabe dived to his right and was horizontal as he caught the ball mid-air. Reminisce of Ponting, Paul Collingwood or Andrew Symonds.

After a quick afternoon tea break under the air conditioning, Zach Moore and Reid Clarke took to the field to open the batting. Both batsmen were solid as the Colts bowling attack struggled to find their accuracy – bowling numerous wides in the first few overs and a total of 20 wides for the day.

However, Colts found their lines and Clarke nicked off early at 1-18. With 98 runs still to get, Moore dug in and was joined by young gun Jobe Fraser. Fraser absorbed the Colts attack and punished the bad balls together with Moore.

Both batsmen raced into the thirties and made the most of the hardening pitch and quickening outfield. Moore timed the ball with grace and raced to a well-deserved 50. Fraser was not far behind but soon caught for 32.

With just 2 runs for victory, Moore pressed on and was looking at a big score. The Lakers reached the Colt’s target in 28 overs.

Moore’s match-winning innings came to an end when he was caught for 61. His innings included 10 fours and a valuable partnership with Fraser – who continues to develop his craft.

Brock McCabe backed up his bowling with 36 from 39 deliveries that included five boundaries and McMillan hit three of his own boundaries for 17 not out. Irvine and Kreeck didn’t trouble the scorers and Adam Dodd was run out for just 1 trying to sneak a single.

Overall, the Lakers finished 7/181 after their 40 overs, securing victory in the top-of-the-table clash to go a game clear heading into the final round before Christmas.

The bowlers finished with the following figures:

Irvine 1/8 from 8 overs including 5 maidens.

Heslin 2/30 from 7 overs.

McMillan 1/22 from 8 overs.

Kreeck 2/20 from 2 overs.

Brock McCabe 1/10 from 8 overs with four maidens.

Matt McCabe 4/24 from his 4 overs.

Runs were shared:

Moore 61, Fraser’s 39, Brock McCabe’s 36 and McMillan’s 17 not out.

As always, a big thank you to Stephen Hicks for scoring and his support on the day and Colts for the game, providing their facilities and a great arvo tea.

Next week Lakers A-Grade host Benalla at Stan Hargreaves Oval – Vic Park in Yarrawonga. Saturday 1pm start in another white ball clash in our full Lakers colours.

A Reserve

Young guns steer the ship home in a thriller!

A Reserve took on City Colts on Saturday at home, thanks to Matt McCabe and his crew for presenting our wonderful facilities.

Captains Fraser Smart and Andrew Dishot welcomed first gamers Kade Michael and Jace Gove, after strong performances in B-Grade before losing the toss and being sent in.

This decision seemed to backfire as Smart 23 runs off 16 balls and young gun Oliver Cope, with 16 runs took the score to 30 at a quick rate. However, consistent wickets to the Colts restricted any major partnerships from getting going.

Young Jug O’Brien showed some flashes of his good form, as did Azam, before both falling for 17 and 14 respectively.

Yarrawonga was bowled out for 96 in the 33rd over.

Some inspirational words from arguably the best fielder in competition (all grades) and the boys were up and about.

Dishot started well, giving the opposition no scoring opportunities, and Jace Gove took a crucial catch to have Colts reeling at 1 for 2.

Tight fielding and great bowling from Azam saw the Colts reach the halfway mark evenly poised at 3/30.

Fresh legs from Benji Wollington were brought into play, and he was right in the thick of things.

Tom Lovell was brought into the attack and showed why he’s been one of the first-picked players for the last four years, even at his young age, removing their number four with a nice stumping from Smart, then followed up removing their captain thanks to a sharp catch from Cope.

Small partnerships threatened before strike bowler Dishot brought himself back into the attack with great success, claiming figures of 2/19 for his 8 overs.

At 7/85 a wicket was needed, and it was Ollie Connell who stepped up to the plate and decided to take 2 wickets, and the Colts were reeling at 9/86.

With a couple of overs remaining, the game ebbed and flowed.

It came down to the last over, and “the ice man” Lovell had to restrict the Colts to less than 4 runs.

With some desperate running, a single was produced of the first ball, followed by another. Then Lovell dug deep and produced two dot balls.

It was down to the Colts, needing just 2 runs to win with 2 balls left.

Lovell then sent the ball down the pitch methodically, passing through the Colt’s batsman onto Smart, who quickly collected the ball and ripped the bails off to produce a one-run thriller.

Lakers win by a run!

B Grade

With the Lakers needed a win over Ovens Valley to stay in touch with the top four, a confident captain in Browning won the toss and elected to bowl.

Under 16 guns Murphy and Tonna opened the bowling with good pace and got the rewards with Murphy the pick of the bowlers with 3-20.

On the injury comeback, House managed 1-9 of his 4 overs and a great runout of the Ovens Valley Captain. Docking bowled well again with only 13 runs from his 8 overs.

Ovens Valley finished 7-112 at the completion of their innings.

In-form veteran Marcus Hargreaves opened the batting with Docking, before Docking had to retire to go to a dance concert bringing Browning to the crease.

The two veterans pushed the score along to 60 before Hargreaves played onto his stumps for a run-a-ball 45.

The runs kept coming, as did the wickets, Gillies 10, Giblett 3, then Browning for 36 and young heartthrob Jett Peters playing his first game for the year.

This brought House to the crease and, with a handful of runs to get for victory, decided attack was the best method, smashing the Ovens Valley young bowlers to all parts of the ground, making 53 off 36 balls. The wickets kept falling and eventually, the Lakers were bowled out in the 33rd over for 189.

C Grade

“Ferns first wicket and Lucas ‘Carl Rackemann’ Pickering sends leg stump flying”

On a steamy hot Saturday morning, the hot breeze and flies were having a race to see who could cause the most havoc on the lads over at Whorouly.

Many players had to have a moment after ingesting some unwanted flying snacks and request some more aeroguard, too.

Top of the ladder Greta won the toss and sent the Lakers into bat, young gun Hawk and Johnny Bairstow (Nic Taylor) opened the batting, with Taylor falling cheap to a skied ball.

Enter Elk Buerckner, who proceeded to smack the attack to all parts of the oval. Elk went 1 too many times, skying one and losing his wicket for 24.

In strolled the leagues in form batter in captain Pickering. Pickers continued on his form, placing the ball in all the little gaps. Hawk was playing some strokes that I’d say you don’t see too often in C-grade in his very technical 32, Hawk out and Parker in.

Unfortunately, he didn’t stick around too long before he also hit the ball high in the air and a catch for the Greta boys was taken.

Big John Burns burst out onto the crease making his intentions very clear before chipping one onto the stumps.

This brought out the first of the father-son combos in Levi Purtle. Robbie played some very strong defensive shots.

Unfortunately, Pickering was also caught for 16, this allowed Robbie and his dad the great Tom “Lags” Purtle to enter the crease for the first time in over 25 years, but what a debut to bat with your son.

The boys pushed a few singles around before Tom lost his balance and fell onto his wickets snapping the leg stump!