Jordy Graham stepped up when Jan Juc needed him most to deliver a knockout marathon bowling performance against Drysdale.
The naggingly accurate left-arm seamer took 7/47 from 27.4 overs against Drysdale to lead the Sharks to their third Bellarine Peninsula Cricket Association A1 Grade win.
Defending its day one total of 159 all out, Jan Juc bowled Drysdale out for 111.
“Once I stop, I’m probably not starting again,” Graham said of his marathon bowling effort.
“It got to a point where I had a little bit of a rhythm up and me, Turtle (Nick Hyden) and Buzz (Peter Buszard) spoke about it and (they) just said, ‘look, you just keep going from this end and we’ll rotate it from the other end’.”
At 32, Graham is far from a veteran, but Jan Juc’s attack is young and he found willing support from Oscar Crocker, Joel Powers and Elijah Falconer.
“He’s (Crocker) been massive for us,” Graham said.
“He’s only 21-years-old and when he gets into a rhythm, he sends him down with a pretty good clip. His opening spell yesterday probably allowed me to get into a groove.
“Joel is another medium pacer, just turned 18. He’s another kid that’s got a pretty good future.
“Elijah’s only 16 maybe. We’ve got a pretty young group really.”
Ben Spencer gave Jan Juc a late scare with 49 not out from 53 balls, but he ran out of partners after coming in at No 9.
“He did it to us last year,” Graham said.
“Coming in at number eight or nine, he might have got 60-odd last year doing the exact same thing. He hits a pretty long ball.
“There was certainly a point there where he played it pretty well, milking the strike and targeting that short boundary at Jan Juc.
“They had about 50 runs (to make) and I said to Buzz, ‘mate, one or two more big overs from him and that’s game on here’.”
The win moved the Sharks into fourth spot on the ladder and they face Inverleigh before the mid-season break.
“They’re a pretty solid side – pretty dangerous on their home deck,” Graham said.
“We obviously want to win that and set ourselves up at Christmas. They’ve got some pretty dangerous players and they’re a pretty well-rounded unit.
“Platty (Lachlan Platt), the Collins boys (Will and Henry) and Danny Midolo – we always seem to have a good game against them.”
INVERLEIGH is off the mark with a much-needed win against Anglesea.
Resuming at a comfortable 0/29, Anglesea was 1/61 in pursuit of 166 for victory, but lost 9/46.
Austin Haygarth (3/21), Hamish Flett (2/20), Murphy Walker (2/21) and Daniel Midolo (2/31) bowled superbly and got Inverleigh its first win for the season.
BARWON Heads easily accounted for Armstrong Creek, losing just two wickets chasing 190 for victory.
Max Melzer was unbeaten on 74 while Matthew Bode (34) and Daniel Donaldson (29 not out) helped the Seagulls stay unbeaten.
PLAY between Queenscliff and Barrabool began late and meandered through to a tame draw with the Bulls 3/67 in reply to Queenscliff’s 177. Tom Kidd sent down 22 overs for the impressive figures of 2/23.
ZANE Keighran struck a superb century for St Joseph’s on day one of the Geelong Cricket Association Division 1 clash against Newtown & Chilwell.
Keighran’s knock of 135 accounted for the majority of the Joeys’ total of 224 all out at Queens Park on Saturday 6 December.
The former Melbourne Premier Grade star belted 131 from 53 balls in round 1 and in just his third game of the season, peeled off 135 on Saturday in a knock that contained 14 boundaries and seven sixes.
Andrew Casey’s 22 was the next highest as speedster Nick Burke caused the Joeys’ batters plenty of problems taking 4/56 while Lachie Sperling chipped in with 3/49.
St Joseph’s quick Austin Humphrey struck late in the day, removing the dangerous Pat McKenna without scoring with the Two Blues to resume at 1/16.
SOLID contributions all-round got South Barwon to 8/262 from 82 overs against Lara.
Bryson Nicholls made 71 from 140 deliveries in a fine display of concentration while Gurpreet Singh also occupied the crease for his 46 from 111. Sam Ellis (35), Nathan Pearson (35 not out from 36 balls) and Harry Hauenstein (32) also contributed.
Lara paceman Luke Wilson again toiled away for 4/61 from 20 overs while George Blatherwick was given plenty of work, taking 1/66 from 23.
DYLAN Moroney grabbed four wickets and gave East Belmont a huge at inflicting North Geelong’s first loss of the season.
Moroney took 4/49 from 16 overs to have the Magpies all out for 150 late on a shortened day’s play due to wet weather while new-ball partner Jack Jenkins (2/18 from 14.4 overs) and off-spinner James McMahon (2/52 from 15) also contributed.
Ned Cooper (37) was North Geelong’s top rungetter with Alistair McCann (32 not out) and Adam Costello (27) also chipping in.
GROVEDALE reached 6/234 from 73 overs against St Peters.
Michael McNeel (52), Jordan Moran (46) and Jack Wrigglesworth (34) contributed to the total while Josh Windus will resume on 37 with seven overs left to bat.
Riley East and Hunter Lewis each grabbed two wickets for St Peters.
