Reports of the reigning Bellarine Peninsula Cricket Association A1 Grade premiers demise may have been grossly exaggerated with Armstrong Creek claiming an impressive first-up win on Saturday.
The Titans lost key runmaker Clay Mulgrew, keeper Aaron Morgan and left-arm swing bowler Jason Robertson in the off-season, but a fine all-round performance against Drysdale suggests they will again be there at the business end of the season.
Recruits Nikhil Kapoor from Tasmania and Troy Bott from Meredith played their roles in the win.
“We obviously know what we’ve lost,” captain-coach Daniel Maclean said.
“Clay leaves a very big hole in our batting line-up, but in saying that today, we’ve still put 200 on the board in a 40-over game, which I think we only did once or twice last year when Clay was actually involved at the club.
“It just means more blokes have got to stand up and pitch in. We can’t rely on one person. We’ve got to play a proper team game, which I think is working our favour, so that’s good.”
Kapoor whacked 26 from 17 balls at the top of the order while Ben Robertson (55), Adam Trevean (30 not out) and Bott (26) got runs in Armstrong Creek’s total of 7/203.
“Nikhil, who has come down from Tasmania, got us off to a really good start playing really good cricket shots and then Troy Bott, who is another recruit of ours, he was good through the middle,” Maclean said.
“And then experienced campaigner in Ben Robertson got 55 and Adam Trevean finished the innings off with 30 not out as well, so it was a good all-around effort.”
Titans then applied the brakes to Drysdale’s run chase as they have done so successfully the past few seasons.
Ron Peillon made a nice 57 from 65 balls and Hayden Eddy chipped in with 25, but Maclean took 4/31 while Trevean (2/34) and Ryan Parkinson (2/36) played their roles for Armstrong Creek.
“They got themselves off to a decent start – Peillon played a really good innings,” Maclean said.
“He was really good for them and was a big wicket to get. It was a good all-around performance. We were a little bit off with the ball and in the field, so it was always good to come away with the win when we’re not playing completely the way we want to play.”
Anglesea also put aside the loss of key players during the off-season to record an impressive win against Queenscliff with a returning batter doing the most damage.
Sam Weight bludgeoned seven sixes on his way to a 70-ball 98 after playing in Sydney last season.
Luke Taylor made a 49-ball 47 and new coach Ty Norman chipped in with 35 from 30 as the Seas made an imposing 8/247.
Queenscliff had several players get healthy starts, such as Frank Mileto (51) and Brendan Thom (37), but nobody was able to produce the match-winning innings that Weight played.
The Coutas all out for 188 with Ben Harcombe grabbing four wickets.
Barwon Heads’ slow bowlers once again proved difficult to get away with old stager Jacko Mallett (4/24), teenager Angus Mackie (2/23) and coach Dan Donaldson (2/9) doing their bit in dismissing Jan Juc for 108.
Max Melzer (37), Lewy Hyland (25) and Donaldson (23 not out) then peeled off the runs for the loss of just three wickets.
Barrabool won a thriller against newly promoted Inverleigh.
The Bulls made 6/130 batting first and looked headed for victory when Inverleigh was 8/82 and then 9/110 after Austin Haygarth made a gritty 29.
But Danny Midolo and a confident Murphy Walker got the Kookaburras to within four of victory before James Fisher (3/14) dismissed Midolo lbw for 24 to end the game. Hamish Craig also grabbed three wickets for Barrabool.
A1 GRADE
Barwon Heads 3/111 (M. Melzer 38, L. Hyland 25) def Jan Juc 108 (T. Kearney 26, Jacko Mallett 4/24, D. Donaldson 2/9)
Anglesea 8/247 (S. Weight 98, L. Taylor 47, T. Norman 35, L. Philp 2/24) def Queenscliff 188 (F. Mileto 51, B. Thom 37, L. Philp 31, B. Harcombe 4/34, L. Jacobs 2/24)
Armstrong Creek 7/203 (B. Robertson 55, A. Trevean 30no) def Drysdale 163 (R. Peillon 57, H. Eddy 25, D. Maclean 4/31)
Barrabool 6/130 (J. Jirik 27no, S. Stevens 25, D. Midolo 2/23) def Inverleigh 126 (A. Haygarth 29, J. Fisher 3/14, H. Craig 3/32)
