South East Cricket Association – Longmuir Shield Round 5: Bentleigh Uniting 1 Clinch Victory Over CHAG 1
In an exciting encounter on Saturday 5th November 2022, Bentleigh Uniting 1 locked horns with CHAG 1 in the South East Cricket Association’s Longmuir Shield Round 5. The action unfolded at 12:30 PM, with Bentleigh Uniting 1 winning the toss and electing to bat first. The match marked the halfway point of the round-robin stage, making it a crucial clash for both sides.
Bentleigh Uniting 1 started their innings on a shaky note, with opener C Short caught by C Charity off A Jones’ bowling for 9. With the team’s total score at just 19, Bentleigh lost another wicket when H Zaia and M Silva were dismissed by the same bowler. The top order batters’ minimal contribution put immense pressure on the middle order.
The ship was steadied by C Cathcart, who scored a gritty 23 off 60 balls. His 119-run partnership with B De Alwis was instrumental in turning around Bentleigh’s innings. De Alwis played an inspiring knock, scoring a vital 62 off 65 balls. A Sheriff remained unbeaten on 67 off 74 balls, providing much-needed stability to the innings. The tail also wagged, with N Halliday chipping in 14 off 6 balls. Bentleigh Uniting 1 posted a competitive total of 195, losing 7 wickets.
CHAG 1’s bowlers put up a commendable fight, with A Jones grabbing 3 wickets for 38 runs in his 6 overs. T Cleaver contributed as well, claiming 2 wickets for 20 runs in 8 overs. The duo was instrumental in breaking the middle order apart.
Chasing 195, CHAG 1 had a tough task at hand. Opener T Cleaver scored 15 before being caught by C Short off C Montgomery’s bowling. D Rhys-Jones held fort at one end, scoring an impressive 53, but wickets continued to tumble around him. J Simpson provided support with a well-made 22 off 32 balls, but eventually fell victim to M Silva’s clever bowling.
M Bell tried to keep CHAG 1 in the hunt, scoring a quickfire 21 off 22 balls. However, G McCormick’s bowling proved too good, as he dismissed Bell to leave the scoreboard reading 119 for 8. With 76 runs still to get, the required run rate climbed steeply. Undeterred, the lower order gave their best, but eventually fell short by 32 runs.
Bentleigh Uniting 1’s bowlers were equally impressive. G McCormick claimed 3 wickets for 32 runs in 6.1 overs, while M Silva finished with figures of 3 for 33 in his 8 overs. Their outstanding performances played a pivotal role in restricting CHAG 1 to 163, handing Bentleigh Uniting 1 a 32-run victory.
In conclusion, it was the sheer grit and determination of Bentleigh Uniting 1’s middle and lower order that sealed the deal for their team. Despite a top-order collapse, the batters dug deep and posted a challenging target of 195. CHAG 1 fought hard, but Bentleigh Uniting
1’s bowlers executed their plans to perfection, ensuring their team emerged victorious in this thrilling encounter.
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