The South East Cricket Association – Longmuir Shield Round PF – was played between Bentleigh Uniting 1 and Brighton Union 1 on Saturday, March 11, 2023, at 12:30 PM and Sunday, March 12, 2023, at 12:30 PM. The nail-biting match ended with Brighton Union 1 winning over Bentleigh Uniting 1, by a very thin margin.
The first innings saw Brighton Union 1 put up a solid performance with a total score of 210, thanks to the masterful fifty by M Rasheed who scored a remarkable 88 not out. The top-order batters saw minimal contribution, but the middle-order batters stepped up their game to support the team’s total. Batsman DK Pulukkuttiarachchi was caught out by A Sheriff at the team score of 0, while PV Falvo got out at a team score of 26, by the hands of N Halliday. Later in the innings, WS Dilranga and S Ali were caught out at the team score of 144 and 147, respectively, by M Silva and B De Alwis. The great collapse of wickets came when A Persi and JG Weinstock were both caught out at a team score of 172 by B De Alwis.
The bowling of Bentleigh Uniting 1 showed individual brilliance by M Silva, who took two wickets, and B De Alwis, who grabbed four wickets with an excellent contribution.
Bentleigh Uniting 1 fought back with immense determination in their innings. The top order batters made a good contribution to the team’s total score of 206, but the middle order batters were not as impactful. C Cathcart stood out with a substantial score of 49 runs. The first wicket of C James was claimed by RJ Blair at a team score of 3, followed by T Cody who was run out at the team score of 73. Later, top scorer C Short was caught out by DK Pulukkuttiarachchi at a team score of 126, while C Cathcart followed suit shortly at a team score of 155.
The bowling of Brighton Union 1 featured key contributions from VS Thind, who took two wickets, and DK Pulukkuttiarachchi and M Rasheed, who claimed three wickets each with good bowling performances. DK Pulukkuttiarachchi and RJ Blair focused their efforts on the top-order batters and played a significant role in the victory of Brighton Union 1.
As both teams gave their best on the field, the match ended with Brighton Union 1 defeating Bentleigh Uniting 1 by a close margin of only 4 runs. This inarguably gave the spectators an excellent game to witness with a tight competition and impressive individual performances from both sides.
The heart-pounding match will no doubt go down in history as an unforgettable display of skill and sportsmanship. The South East Cricket Association – Longmuir Shield Round PF – has once again proved that the spirit of cricket lies in the relentless determination of every player on and off the field, pushing their limits for their respective teams. Congratulations to Brighton Union 1 for their victory and kudos to Bentleigh Uniting 1 for their chase. Here’s to many more such exciting matches in the future!
Comments