ROUND 2 MATCH REPORTS
ULTIMA-TUF 10-81 lost to RSL 6-87
RSL continued their winning start to the Kookaburra Cup season, with a four-wicket win over Ultima-TUF at the Alan Garden Reserve on Saturday.
Batting first, the Roodogs quickly found themselves in trouble, with Brenton Caldwell taking the early wickets of Josh Waldron (6), Tom Bell (5) and Will Nelson (0) to have Ultima-TUF reeling at 3 for 13.
It didn’t get much better for the home side, as they turned in their most disappointing performance with the bat this season, with skipper Kade Benfield the only player to make it to double figures, scoring 34 before he was trapped in front by Ammar Khalid.
With RSL bowling a tight line and length, not only were they able to take regular wickets, but they also kept the run rate to a minimum, with the Roodogs eventually bowled out in the 34th over for just 81.
Brenton Caldwell was the pick of the bowlers with 3 for 10, while Ammar Khalid also finished the afternoon with three wickets.
Early wickets were going to be the key for Ultima-TUF to get back into the contest – and when Paul Munro was dismissed for just 4 runs, the dream start had occurred.
Any hope of an upset was quickly shattered by Stuart Patterson, who blasted the Roodogs’ attack to all parts of the ground with a quickfire 29. When Patterson fell with the score on 50, the damage was done – and although Ultima-TUF fought back with three late wickets to Jordan King and two to Josh Waldron, the reality is RSL cruised to the finish line, with Ryan Hinton and Brenton Caldwell batting down the order guiding the Blues home with 20 overs still to spare.
NYAH DISTRICT 8-149 lost to WOORINEN 8-152
WOORINEN returned to the winners’ list with a hard-fought two-wicket win at the weekend, with their match against Nyah District going right down to the second last ball of the game.
After winning the toss and batting, Ben Shadbolt promoted himself up the order to open alongside Mitch Grinham in the absence of regular top order batsmen Drew Lloyd and Dean Harrop. Shadbolt and Grinham put on 35 runs for the opening stand, before Stefan Mangiameli got one through the defence of Nyah’s captain to send Shadbolt on his way for 18.
Marcus Mangiameli then tore through the Demons top order, removing Grinham and the two Boulton brothers, leaving Nyah District in considerable trouble at 4 for 48.
It was then over to veterans Justin Toomey and Ash Thompson to resurrect the Demons’ innings, with the pair putting on a solid 80-run partnership through the later stages, with Thompson eventually dismissed for 14, while Toomey remained not out on 74 at the end of forty overs, with Nyah District finishing on 8 for 149.
The Tigers’ run chase didn’t get off to the best of starts, with the in-form Glenn Violi hitting a return catch to Ben Shadbolt with the score on just seven. A 65-run second wicket partnership between Marcus Mangiameli (39) and Mitch Uhlhorn (31) quickly got Woorinen back on track, before Mangiameli was trapped in front by Ritchie Boulton with the score on 72.
From there, the game descended into an arm wrestle, with Woorinen putting together small partnerships – and the Demons constantly taking wickets.
Jackson Hopkins was entrusted with bowling the last over for Nyah District – with the Tigers needing just two runs to win. Hopkins started the final over in perfect fashion, with three dot balls, before he picked up the wicket of Angus-Boyd Law with the fourth ball of the over.
Damian Mangiameli then came to the crease to face the music, ending the contest with one ball, smashing the penultimate delivery to the fence to give Woorinen a nail-biting victory – and keep them in the hunt for the Kookaburra Cup decider.
SWAN HILL 10-84 lost to WANDELLA 1-85
WANDELLA secured their first SHDCA victory in the season proper, thrashing Swan Hill by nine wickets at the Showgrounds on Saturday.
The Bombers’ bowling attack gave nothing away, as the Swans struggled to build a partnership of any real substance right throughout their innings. Alan Hatcher with 26 and Brady Hogan with 10 were the only Swan Hill batsmen to make it into double figures, as the home side struggled on the usually batsman friendly Showground’s pitch.
Ryan Barnes once again led the way with the ball for the visitors, with the fantastic figures of 4 for 16 from his 8 overs, which also included 4 maidens. Rohan Oliver (2-13 off 7 overs) and Nicholas Oliver (2 for 4 off 2.3 overs) were the other multiple wicket takers for Wandella, while Logan Keighran and Daniel Higgs also claimed one wicket each.
The Bombers’ reply got off to a rocky start, with the usually reliable Toby Gray dismissed without scoring. That would be the last moment of celebration for Swan Hill for the afternoon, as Laine Gibbons would go on to score an unbeaten 51, with Bohden McKnight riding shotgun with 21 not out to see Wandella pass the Swans’ meagre total just one wicket down and in the 15th over.
The win sees Wandella rise to fourth on the Kookaburra Cup ladder heading into the Christmas break, while the Swans are still searching for their first win of the season proper.
