By Justin Flynn
More than 550 runs were belted at South Barwon Reserve on Saturday as South Barwon skipper Nick Butters and Grovedale opener Jake Alsop blasted centuries in a high-scoring match between of the Geelong Cricket Association’s best teams.
Alsop was unbeaten on 134 and batted the entirety of Grovedale’s innings, facing 146 deliveries and hitting 13 boundaries and three sixes.
The Tigers’ 4/271 looked like a match-winning total with Rob Smith (54) sharing a 107-run opening stand with Alsop.
In what was a tough day for the bowlers, Butters showed signs of what was to come with his 10 overs yielding just 28 runs and Bradley Hauenstein taking 1/31 from his 10.
South Barwon lost two quick wickets when it came time to take to the crease, but Butters and Nathan Pearson (44) steered the innings back on track.
Jasper George then entered the fray and lifted the run rate with 52 from 32 balls and Sam Ellis hit an unbeaten 29 from 24.
But it was Butters who stole the show with a masterful 112 from only 90 balls that included eight sixes.
Jack Wrigglesworth starred for Grovedale with 4/29 from 10 overs and Clinton Ford was miserly with 1/25 from nine, but South Barwon got home with three wickets and nine deliveries in hand.
ST JOSEPH’S won another high-scoring encounter, defeating Lara.
Daniel Weigl top scored with a nice 43 from 48 in Lara’s score of 201.
Brandon Purcell and Callum Leese each claimed three wickets for Joeys.
St Joseph’s had some anxious moments during its run chase, but a run-a-ball 73 from Callum Leese and an unbeaten 53 from skipper Andrew Hodgson saw St Joseph’s home with four wickets and 20 balls to spare.
FIVE Highton batters made at least 24, but failed to get past 37 as East Belmont claimed victory at McDonald Reserve.
Highton was all out for 172 in the 49th over with four of the top five batters scoring between 24 and 37.
It was only tailender and skipper Nathan McCoach who had excuses for not converting with a breezy 30 off 33 balls.
Dylan Moroney grabbed three wickets for East Belmont, which faced a tricky run chase and at 8/93 things looked dire.
But Moroney (39 not out), batting at No 10, joined opener Danny Hegarty (84 not out) at the crease and resurrected the innings with an unbroken 80-run ninth-wicket stand to win the game with eight balls remaining.
Errol Burns was Highton’s best bowler with 3/28 from 10 economical overs.
NORTH GEELONG defeated a gallant Newtown & Chilwell.
Lower order knocks from Mitchell Troy (47 from 51 balls) and Alistair McCann (44 from 43) helped North Geelong to 9/227 after being 7/118 at one stage.
Sam Mitchell played well for the Two Blues with a nice little 59, but Thomas Webster (3/33), McCann (2/25) and Andrew Fergusson (2/28) did enough with the pill to get the Magpies home by 45 runs.
