Drysdale’s unlikely tilt at a Bellarine Peninsula Cricket Association A1 Grade finals spot is still alive after posting a hefty 5/257 against Barwon Heads on Saturday February 15.
The Hawks are one of five sides striving for fourth spot and couldn’t have made a better start to their game against the reigning premiers.
Led by a superb 92 from opener Jason Malcolm, the Drysdale top and middle order combined well to have the Heads on their feet all afternoon.
“It’s probably the first time all year we’ve just clicked all together,” Malcolm said.
“We feel like we’ve got a pretty good side, enough to be competitive, especially in A1, but we’ve just let ourselves down a few times. We’ve been in games. Unfortunately, it’s taken us all year to (get to) the last two games to get over that 200 mark and bat our overs out.”
In an unpredictable season, Drysdale, Queenscliff and Ocean Grove could all make finals or get relegated to A2 grade.
“You could end up having four wins and get relegated, the comp is that tight,” Malcolm said.
After Charlie Clode made 38 from 63 balls, Malcolm and Jack Wilkinson (43 from 99) then steadied in the face of some tight bowling.
“We all know after tea, if you’ve got wickets in hand, you can accelerate and you can push and get a big score,” Malcolm said.
“They say you can double your score at tea so for us, it was a big focus. Jack and I just said we need to consolidate and not lose clumps of wickets like we have been in the past. Get to tea one or two down, and then we’ll be okay.”
Malcolm faced 202 deliveries for his 92 and was dismissed with a freakish catch by Damian Clarke off his own bowling.
“I probably started to get a little bit nervous,” he said.
“I saw the team all start to come out so I thought I must be getting close. I thought I’ll just push the ones and twos and yeah, just got a leading edge. And it was a good catch by Clarkey.”
Drysdale will have to win without star bowler Blake Dobbin, who won’t play again this season after copping a foot fracture against Jan Juc.
“I will take that (257) at the start of the day every day of the week, but they’re a good batting side Barwon Heads,” Malcolm said.
“Obviously Max (Melzer) is going to be the key, but they have always been a strong batting unit. Hopefully we’ll bowl well and field well and hopefully we’ve got enough.”
Ocean Grove is 7/167 against Queenscliff after several rain delays restricted play to 71 of the allotted 75 overs. Tom Kidd sent down a marathon 31 overs and although he got just the one wicket, conceded only 54 runs. Dan Roddis is unbeaten on 27 from 50 balls and probably holds the key to Grove scoring 180-plus with four overs left.
Jan Juc made 9/179 against Anglesea with Miles Kerr getting 46 while spinner Tom Beasley bowled 31 overs and took 2/89.
Kane Pickering is back to his run scoring best and looms as a finals dangerman as Barrabool posted 8/206 against Armstrong Creek. Pickering made 82 while Titans skipper Daniel Maclean sent down 31 overs to take 3/83 while Jack Maclean took 3/58 from 20.
In A2 Grade, David Peel top scored with 52 in Inverleigh’s total of 9/212 against Surf Coast. Rhys Healy took 4/68 from 22 overs for the Suns.
Baiden Luppino made 62 in Winchelsea’s 7/188 against Portarlington. Veteran Paul McGrath took 3/39 from 18 overs for the Demons.
Newcomb looks headed for a win against St Leonards. Shane Healy and Jack Scanlon each took three wickets with the Saints all out for 112. In reply, Healy is on 14 and the Bulls are 1/19.
Wallington has eight overs to add to its 7/177 against Collendina. Dane Wise-Graham is still there on 63 while Adam Southorn made 51. Slow bowlers Jacob Gasior (2/61 off 20 overs) and Stan Grazotis (2/31 from 19) did the bulk of the work for the Cobras.
