In Round 14 of South East Cricket Association’s flagship Longmuir Shield on Sat 18 Feb 2023 and Sat 25 Feb 2023, Bentleigh Uniting faced off against Brighton Union in an exciting match. Brighton Union set a target of 187, with a noteworthy dozen of top and middle order batters contributing to their score. However, the team witnessed a significant collapse in the later phase of the match, which Bentleigh Uniting capitalized upon, eventually winning by four wickets.
The first innings for Brighton Union saw VS Thind top-scoring with a well-compiled 56 off 93 balls. It was Thind’s knock of a half-century that held together the innings, despite good contributions from other top and middle order batters. DK Pulukkuttiarachchi (35 off 77 balls) and WS Dilranga (42 off 77 balls) were other contributors to the team’s score, with M Rasheed opening the innings with a patient 10 off 58 balls. Top-order batsman RJ Blair remained not out with no runs.
Bentleigh Uniting’s bowling attack was led by M Silva, who finished with outstanding figures of 6 for 51 in 20.4 overs. G McCormick also contributed a useful spell, taking two top-order wickets. B De Alwis, although expensive, took two important middle-order wickets, helping to dismantle Brighton Union’s innings.
However, the major collapse that Brighton Union experienced at the end of their innings was what truly turned the game in Bentleigh Uniting’s favour. At a team score of 176, VS Thind was caught off M Silva’s bowling, followed by the quick dismissals of S Ali, A Persi, and E Kunaratnam. The final stage of the collapse saw three wickets falling at a score of 187, with J Donohoe, WS Dilranga, and S Gara all dismissed in quick succession. M Silva claimed a total of six wickets, with B De Alwis taking two wickets in this phase.
Bentleigh Uniting needed 188 runs to claim victory, and their batsmen, C Cathcart (62 off 118 balls) and A Sheriff (53 off 110 balls), ensured a comfortable win for their team. CJ Davidson started the chase with a quick 6 off 9 balls before being bowled by RJ Blair, but it was the partnerships of Cathcart and Sheriff that anchored the innings. Wicketkeeper C Short provided stability towards the end, remaining not out on 33 off 65 balls, supported by B De Alwis, who was also not out on no runs.
Brighton Union’s bowling attack, led by RJ Blair (2 for 56 in 22 overs) and S Gara (1 for 38 in 16 overs), tried to keep their team in the hunt. However, the combined efforts of Bentleigh Uniting’s top order and middle order laid the platform for the four-wicket victory.
In conclusion, Bentleigh Uniting’s comprehensive victory over Brighton Union in the Longmuir Shield Round 14 highlights their strength, determination, and ability to capitalize on the opposition’s weaknesses. The significant batting collapse experienced by Brighton Union proved to be the turning point of the match, with notable contributions from both top and middle order batters for Bentleigh Uniting leading to the victory. As the season progresses, it will be interesting to see if Bentleigh Uniting can continue to showcase their skills and win key matches moving forward
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