By Justin Flynn
St Joseph’s coach Daniel Fanning said his side’s performance in round five was the perfect preparation leading into two-day cricket resuming this weekend.
Joeys sit on top of the GCA ladder with four wins and one loss after demolishing Highton on Saturday November 4.
Fanning said the evenness of the competition made early wins crucial.
“There’s probably a player in every side that can take a game away from you quite easily,” he said.
“There are batsmen in every team who can win a match off their own bat and bowlers, there’s probably even a couple from some sides who maybe haven’t got going quite yet. It’s very even and I think that we’ll see this year there will be upsets regularly and ladder positions will change quite a bit.”
Highton won the toss on Saturday and at one stage was eight wickets down when Lewis Campbell departed for 55 out of his team’s 79.
Errol Burns (27) and Fionn Neeson (21 not out) then added 50 for the ninth wicket before a stunning direct hit from midwicket by Mitch McMullan removed Burns.
“We got two direct hit run outs yesterday – Jack Riding got one as well,” Fanning said.
“That comes on the back of five run outs against North Geelong in round two and a couple of handy catches.”
Paceman Austin Humphrey took 3/28 while spinner McMullan (3/14) and seamer Brandon Purcell (2/28) also bowled well.
“Austin Humphrey and Ben Clark did really well with the new ball,” Fanning said.
“Austin took three wickets, but Ben kept things really tidy so to get off to a good start like that it sets the tone.”
St Joseph’s was largely untroubled in its pursuit of 130 for victory. Ryan Simmonds hit 32 from 44 balls while Jackson Bye and McMullan both remained unbeaten on 31 to give Joeys a seven-wicket win inside 32 overs.
“Ryan Simmons got away to a pretty quick start and then Callum Leese, our English import, came in and I think he whacked 20 off about 13 balls,” Fanning said.
“He ramps them and hits him over the top from ball one. He’s got a 360 game. He only got 20, but it just breaks the shackles open.”
Fanning said Highton bowled well and set good fields, but 129 was always going to be tough to defend. Burns in particular stood out with 1/16 from 10 overs.
“Once he (Burns) bowled five or six tight overs, we recognised that we could see him out and then wait for their fourth and fifth bowlers to try and break the game open,” Fanning said.
The competition now turns to two-day cricket after several seasons of limited overs games.
“I think the whole region is crying out to put the creams back on and get the red balls out and play some more traditional cricket,” Fanning said.
NEWTOWN & CHILWELL brought up its first win by defeating South Barwon.
Ronnie Mckenna led the way with 83 from 53 balls in the Two Blues’ score of 6/249 while Chay Deary took 4/23 to have the Swans all out 212 in reply despite another blistering knock from Nick Butters (85 from 68 deliveries).
NORTH GEELONG opener Ned Cooper was the star in his side’s win against Lara.
The classy left-hander made an unconquered 114 while Philip Visser’s 55 helped the Magpies to a commanding 5/242.
Lara captain Daniel Weigl made a nice 50 out of 170 all out, but Tom Mathieson (4/29) found form and Thomas Webster (3/37) did his job for second placed North Geelong.
EAST BELMONT defeated Grovedale with Josh Lacey (59) and Hayden McMahon (48 not out) guiding the score to 5/198 after being sent in.
The strong Grovedale batting line-up wasn’t allowed to get going, falling for 135 thanks to a stunning player-of-the-match performance from Lacey, who took 5/8 from 8.4 overs and James McMahon, who snared 3/28.
