Local Cricket, by Jim Timberlake
Geelong Cricket Club had a horror first day in their clash with Camberwell last weekend, and look like heading into the Christmas break after tomorrow’s second day’s play with their tail between their legs.
Batting first, openers Josh McDonald and Eamonn Vines survived the first half hour without too much trouble, but emerging left arm paceman Will Walker then tore through the top-order with a fine display of swing bowling.
Brad Hogg playing his final warm up game before the Big Bash start showed his class with 36 not out batting at number 8, but with no one to help him, the side was bundled out for 130 in just 46 overs.
With 47 overs remaining on day one, the Cats actually started well with Hogg claiming two wickets, while Dylan Moroney took one, to have the hosts reeling at 3/36. But a 92-run partnership quickly shut out any hopes of a miraculous victory, with the Magpies cruising to 5/179 at stumps.
With victory out of the question tomorrow, the young Geelong side will be looking to show some fight and at least go into the break in a positive frame of mind.
In the Geelong Cricket Association, a round of one day games is scheduled to finalise the first half of the season, and while a lot of interest will be on the games between those teams at the top of the table, equally the division one clash at Memorial Park where Leopold will host Bell Post Hill will hold just as much intrigue.
With two teams to be relegated at the end of this season as the GCA continues their restructure, a win here would be like gold for those clubs on the precipice.
Both sides have had just one win from their six games, and even then, for both it was over the newly promoted St Peters who have struggled to have any impact in the top flight.
On paper, Bell Post Hill look to have the classier line-up, with the likes of Rhys Bourke, Jason Grozdanovski and Lachlan Handley enjoying decent seasons so far, while for Leopold, Tim Marshall and David Ford have shown glimpses of their best cricket.
But for both teams, there are too many passengers, and if players on either side want to contest in division one next season, now is the time to step up and show their clubs what it means to them.
BELL POST HILL v Leopold, Geelong city v NEWTOWN and CHILWELL, Murgheboluc v SOUTH BARWON, ST JOSEPHS v North Geelong, Lara v GROVEDALE, EAST BELMONT v St Peters
In division two, there are some cracking games scheduled, with every one of them looking like it could go either way.
Manifold Heights will be looking to bounce back against Highton at McDonald Reserve after lowering their colours to Newcomb and District last round. The Sharks sit just inside the top six and won’t want to lose two in a row after some patchy form of late.
Coach Chris Bambury has been in reasonable nick, with both the bat and ball, despite battling a nasty hernia complaint, so he will be looking for others to help carry the load. He certainly wouldn’t complain about the efforts of Shaun Fankhauser, who has enjoyed a very productive start to the season with 257 runs thus far. But from there, the runs cupboard looks a bit bare, and he’ll be expecting the likes of Justin Tarr and Frank Mileto to show some improvement with the bat if they are to take the points against an in-form Highton line-up.
Thomson v BELL PARK, NEWCOMB and DISTRICT v Torquay, HIGHTON v Manifold Heights, MODEWARRE v Guild Saints, EELONG WEST v St Albans Breakwater, Alexander Thomson v MARSHALL
