Collendina’s quest for a Bellarine Peninsula Cricket Association A2 Grade finals berth received a boost after a hard-fought win against St Leonards at home on Saturday January 18.
With Wallington and Inverleigh in the box seat to claim the top two spots on the ladder, the race for third and fourth is down to three teams – Portarlington (39 points), Surf Cost (39) and Collendina (33).
The Cobras were sent in and made 9/147 from 40 overs on a slowish outfield at Collendina Recreation Reserve.
Opener Corey Walter top scored with 52 while Jacob Gasior made 35 and skipper Nathan Frye 20. Saints’ seamer Will Stovell took 3/31 from eight overs.
Frye said the total was “more like 165 or 170” given the outfield.
Collendina needed to bowl well to take the points and Frye said tactics were discussed at the tea break.
“We spoke about that in the innings break that they didn’t really give us any boundary balls to hit,” he said.
“So we thought that was (also) the path to victory for us.”
Zach Muir took his first A Grade wicket in a good opening spell while Ted Farrell (2/21) and Oscar Irwin (4/18) also had success.
“He’s (Muir) bowled really well for us since coming in with the white ball (and) you know what you’re going to get out of him every week,” Frye said.
“Oscar Irwin’s another one who’s come in and taken seven wickets in his two games in the ones. Really happy with the way they’re progressing.
“And that’s what we want in our side – blokes that are just going to bowl one side of the wicket, (which is) very easy to set a field to.”
St Leonards would eventually be bowled out for 119, giving the Cobras a deserved win.
Frye said he hopes to have star all-rounder Corey Walter back bowling in the next week or so after having elbow surgery before the break. Walter missed one game and has only been able to bat since then.
Collendina’s attention now turns towards top side Wallington in the final one-dayer of the season.
“We haven’t seen them at all this year, so we don’t really know what to expect,” Frye said.
“They’ve got some good quality cricketers. Matt (Sampson-Barnes) is obviously a good cricketer and has been for a long time. It will be a good battle.”
INVERLEIGH kept a stranglehold on second place with a five-wicket win against Winchelsea. Toby Furbush (73 not out) played well for Winch in its score of 6/174, but the Kookaburras chased down the total with five wickets and two overs to spare with David Peel making a hard-hitting 58 from 48 deliveries.
TOP side Wallington was tested by bottom team Newcomb, but came away with the points. The Wallabies made 193 all out with James Sood (53) and Sven Burluraux (41) getting runs while Bulls skipper Shane Healey grabbed three wickets. In reply, Newcomb made 8/157 with Dane Wise-Graham snaring 3/30 for Wallington.
SURF COAST continued to push for a finals spot with an impressive win against Portarlington. The Suns made 6/187 with William Liddle making a nice 94 from 124 balls and James Tilders grabbing three wickets for Port. Despite Brenton Toole’s 64 from 83 balls, Port never really looked like chasing down the target, being bowled out for 118 with all six Suns’ bowlers taking at least one wicket each.
Newcomb legend Frank Canadillas played his 450th game for the Bulls. The likeable spin bowler took 2/12 from five overs and made 14, but his team went down to Newcomb’s other D Grade side at Ervin Reserve No 2.
