By Jim Timberlake
GEELONG Cricket Club enjoyed a dominant victory over Fitzroy Doncaster last Saturday, with the conditions certainly working in the Cats’ favour.
On an apparently bowler-friendly wicket, the Cats chose not to bat on last Saturday, instead declaring their innings closed on 7/291.
That decision paid immediate dividends when Jake Reed and Marc Carson both took an early wicket each reduce the hosts to 2/8
From there it was a procession as regular wickets fell. After just 44 overs Geelong had dismissed its hosts for a measly total of 101.
Carson ended up with the pick of the bowling figures, taking 4/17, although Luke Muller was nipping at his heals on 4/19.
This weekend the seventh-placed Cats welcome ninth-placed Richmond in an important game for both sides to be played over the next two Saturdays.
In Geelong Cricket Association, the crucial encounter between Geelong West and Geelong City appears to be slightly favouring West after a tight first day’s play last Saturday.
Winning the toss and electing to bat, the Sharks would have hoped for a bright start but the loss of gun bat Richard Oliver for just eight soon made a meal of those plans.
Adam Pitts (46) showed his class as he resurrected the innings but he found little help from his middle order, City at one stage slipping to 8/125.
Mark Worthington, batting at number eight, dug in and made an invaluable 36 not out but the side was dismissed in the 81st over for just 175.
For Geelong West, Josh Vrboski was superb, sending down 23.2 overs for the magnificent return of 6/29.
The Rams look well-placed to claim their second win of the season, the only thing perhaps standing in their way is a flurry of early wickets to Kent Agg or Adam Marsland.
Newcomb & District batted first in its division two match of the round against Thomson but failed to make the most of a decent start to be dismissed for 149 off just 54 overs.
Anthony Quarrell (50) continued his good form and made a tidy half century but he had no support.
Brett Anderton was the pick of the Tigers’ bowlers, claiming 5/49, while Jayden Hicks took 3/30.
The Dinos had 26 overs to bowl to get themselves back in the contest and it appeared they had done just that when they reduced Thomson to 3/37, thanks mainly to some accurate bowling by Shaun Davie who took 2/16.
But the Tigers steadied to finish the day’s play on 3/61, Hicks again standing up finishing on 24 not-out.
Newcomb & District’s only hope tomorrow will be early wickets to Davie or paceman Richard Stanyon.
In division three, Little River achieved the rare feat of winning outright on the first day over North Shore.
It was Redbacks’ skipper Nathan Kenyon who was the star of the day, claiming 5/9 in the first innings and 4/12 in the second as the Seagulls were dismissed for just 55 and 38 respectively.
Kenyon also got the job done with the bat, making a hard-hitting 54 in his side’s first innings of 4/87 declared before enjoying the satisfaction of being at the crease in the second dig when he and Jye Kenna knocked off the required seven runs without loss for a crushing win.
