Bell Post Hill is second on the GCA Division 2 ladder and is eyeing off the beginning of two-day cricket this weekend after a good win against Geelong City.
Panthers captain Ben Muir said he was happy with his side’s three wins so far and that the longer format would suit his team.
“I think two-day games suit us a lot better,” he said.
“To come away after the first five games being three, one and a draw, I think that’s set up our season pretty well. We’re looking forward to the two-day stuff now. It’s all about momentum. Cricket’s such a momentum game and I feel like we’ve got good momentum at the minute.”
Muir had no hesitation in batting first against City when he won the toss and the Panthers were again given another strong start from openers Will Iles (76) and Ryan Mills (41 from 45 deliveries).
“Getting Will over from England, he was coming off a pretty good year back home and he’s come in and settled in really well into the club, into the playing group and he’s batting really well,” Muir said.
“And Millsy has probably been our best bat for probably the past two or three seasons and he sort of missed out the first two games and he was actually a bit disappointed with himself, but the way he made it against (Geelong) West a couple of weeks ago and then yesterday.”
Rhys Burke (38 off 48 balls) and Matthew Reid (34 from 33) got Bell Post Hill up to a big score of 8/238.
Jack Driver and Angus Evans then threatened to win the game off their own bats for Geelong City.
Driver made 90 from 108 deliveries and opener Evans contributed 61, but the rest of the order weren’t able to chase down the total.
“I actually thought we probably missed out on getting another 10 or 15 or 20 runs, but I can’t knock the effort,” Muir said.
“They (Driver and Evans) batted well. Jack is very good in those situations. He was setting the game up beautifully. We actually probably pinched probably four or five overs maybe after after drinks where we sort of tied him down and that got us a bit further in front of the game. He’s (Driver) a very, very good player.”
City finished at 9/208 after 50 overs with Gurpreet Singh taking 1/32 from 10 overs while Muir’s leg-spinners netted 2/43 from 10
The Panthers begin the two-day stuff this weekend against Murgheboluc.
“They’re just a well-rounded side and that group’s probably been together for many years now,” Muir said.
“They’re just a solid side. They bat well, they bowl well, they field well. You’ve got to play at your best when you’re playing against Murgie because they can really tear you apart with the bat. They’ve got some good strikers and they just bowl so tight. They’re a good all-round side.”
BELL PARK chased down Geelong West’s 207 all out with Mitch Trask (5/26) and Sam Elliston-Buckley (66) the stars while Adam Wiffen (93 not out) was superb for the visitors.
LEOPOLD defeated Torquay by three wickets with Robbie O’Donnell (45) making runs and Reece Plumridge (2/26 off 10 overs) bowling well. Ash Russell (66) and Gurpreet Singh (3/28) had good games for Torquay.
LARA won an entertaining game against Murgheboluc. Kaden Marum’s 4/28 from 10 overs was pivotal in keeping the Frogs to 9/226 and then Andrew Hughes reeled off a brilliant unbeaten 100 to have Lara home by five wickets with nine balls to spare.
