In a game as old as many of our oldest traditions, Bentleigh Uniting displayed stunning form against Elwood in the 1st Round of the Longmuir Shield on that bright Saturday afternoon. Seizing victory with a rousing performance, Bentleigh displayed the fighting spirit of cricket on the 7th of October, 2030.
The sun beamed down on the pitch as Elwood kicked off the game. A confident start full of promise, then Adam Howard bowled out by Cameron Thorne, the first flicker of chaos, caught impeccably by Craig Short after scoring merely eight runs. The first man down, but the troops were undeterred as the heart of the game began to show itself.
In stepped Will Scott, displaying a magnificent blend of resilience and artistry, scoring 44 before succumbing to Nicholas Halliday. The star of the show, however, turned out to be Stuart Clark. Standing tall and confident, he fired away to an impressive ninety-three – a hard-fought half-century cheered on by the crowd. Despite a solid innings, Elwood’s lineup crumbled rather quickly after losing Harry Scott and Josh Murphy, ending their turn at the crease on 213 runs, all wickets down.
Bowling giants from Bentleigh rose to the occasion: Nicholas Halliday, an unshakeable force on the field, with a spectacular haul of 6 wickets. Chris Lavery, too, was instrumental in Bentleigh’s quest for dominance, tearing through Elwood’s lower order with three wickets, playing a key role in setting a manageable target for their crew.
As Bentleigh took over the crease, anticipation brewing across the field, Campbell James put on a steady display. Attaining a commendable 29 before a harsh run-out broke the rhythm, a sense of precariousness hung in the air.
But the tides were to turn in Bentleigh’s favor. Buddika De Alwis, holding his ground, scored a well-deserved 20, and then there was Callum Cathcart, the game-changer, his shining armour glistening under the scorching sun – scoring a phenomenal century – his unbeaten 111 was the pillar of Bentleigh’s chase to victory.
Bregazzi and Lavery further added to the team’s score to fulfil the target of 213 runs. Cathcart’s wonderful innings were, of course, complemented by bowlers Will Scott and Harry Scott, taking three and two wickets, respectfully.
The day ended with a splendid victory for Bentleigh, winning by 7 wickets, a day etched in the hearts of players as they outplayed Elwood’s commendable effort. Although the game entered a fiercely combative stage, Bentleigh Uniting emerged the champions of the day, a testament to their remarkable abilities and unyielding spirit.
And as the sun set on the pitch, the thrill of the game, the cheers, and the collective gasp, echoed long past the stipulated hours of play. It was in such landmark occasions that the spirit of cricket truly came alive – a magnificent sight to behold. Until the next round, of course, as the Longmuir Shield waits to unfurl another saga. For then, flip the bat, the ball shall be bowled, and the game would begin anew.
Quiney Shield
Trent Cody’s top-scoring performance helped Bentleigh Uniting secure 104 against a resilient Elwood side. Bowlers Eoin O’Mahony, Shekhar Gupta, Billy Jones, and Charlie Wightman played pivotal roles for Elwood. Despite an initial setback, Elwood’s batsmen showed determination to cruise past the target with minimal loss.
In round one of the Quiney Shield, Bentleigh Uniting came head to head with Elwood in what turned out to be an intense encounter. Batting first, Bentleigh Uniting struggled to find their footing with the top order, making minimal contributions with the exclusion of Aaron Swann who added 18 runs to the team’s total.
The middle-order steered the ship back on course with excellent performances. Leading the charge was Trent Cody, who racked up 31 runs off 34 balls, establishing himself as the top scorer. Middle order batter Paul Dessent also put a respectable 18 runs on board before being caught by Tom Scott off a Charlie Wightman delivery.
Notably, Ethan Manakis was the first to return to the pavilion after scoring just 3 runs off 12 balls, falling to the bowling prowess of Shekhar Gupta. On a team score of 30, Rory Drummond was caught off-guard by Eoin O’Mahony. The innings concluded at 104 with ten wickets down, leaving a challenging target for Elwood.
Elwood’s bowling attack was spearheaded by Shekhar Gupta and Eoin O’Mahony, who together claimed the top order. Billy Jones, with an impressive 3-wicket haul coupled with Charlie Wightman’s two wickets, stifled the middle and lower order of Bentleigh Uniting. Their collective effort restricted Bentleigh Uniting to a limited total.
Hoping to make quick work of the 104-run target, Elwood opened their batting innings. The top order made a slow start with Alan Parkinson, the first to be dismissed, contributing just 12 runs. Despite this early loss, the middle and lower orders didn’t get a chance to bat as Shekhar Gupta and Mark Rosendorff held tight, carrying Elwood to a successful chase with a loss of just one wicket.
The bowling highlight for Bentleigh Uniting was Liam Manakis picking up the lone wicket. However, despite Paul Dessent’s economical overs, their efforts were not enough to restrict the robust batting lineup of Elwood.
At the end of the day, Elwood cruised past the target, paving their way to victory with excellent teamwork in both batting and bowling departments. They demonstrated their strength once again in this season of the Quiney Shield, raising the bar for their competitors.
H Grade
In a thrilling H Grade Round 1 match, Bentleigh Uniting 3 put up a competitive total of 161, only to see East Oakleigh 1 chase it down with four wickets to spare. Major contributions came from Joe Aloi with a steadfast fifty, Jonathan Guttmann with a solid 36, and Chris Elkins with a crucial 21. Jason Baker, Ari Mamalis, and Bhargav Prakash delivered strategic blows for East Oakleigh, each bagging a few wickets.
The sun-dappled pitch of the Bentleigh Cricket Ground buzzed with anticipation on the sunny afternoon of 21st October 20230. The promising Bentleigh Uniting 3 took their stance against the formidable East Oakleigh 1 in the inaugural H Grade match of the season. Electing to bat first, Bentleigh Uniting 3 posted an imposing 161 runs, largely due to a resilient half-century by Joe Aloi.
The innings sprung to life with Nicholas Timms (c), despite falling early, having scored 6 runs off 16 deliveries. Chris Elkins, coming in at number 3, put an end to the early wobble by striking a brisk 21 off just 17 deliveries, adding a valuable 27 runs to the team score. Riding on the momentum, Jonathan Guttmann performed admirably, putting a robust 36 runs on the board, his partnership with Aloi adding a significant 88 runs and bringing the team score to 127.
A seemingly insurmountable total certainly seemed within reach until East Oakleigh’s Ari Mamalis wreaked havoc with the ball. James Bruce and Stephen Montgomery fell to his lethal attack at critical junctures, followed quickly by Doug Clowes, bringing about a dramatic middle-order collapse. The team score stumbled from a robust 151 to an unsteady 156, shaking the foundations of Bentleigh’s previous solidity.
Bentleigh’s bowling attack, marshaled by Rod Mikkelsen with 3 wickets and a crucial contribution of 1 wicket from Hasib Mahmudul, put a brave front. However, East Oakleigh’s top order, steered by the determined batting of Fill-in, with a match-winning 53, and Brodie Howie’s contribution of a quick 32, took the game away. Daniel Krongold and Trent Cuthell also provided useful contributions, keeping the scoreboard ticking in this high-stakes chase.
East Oakleigh 1’s combination of aggressive batting and disciplined bowling clinched the victory. On the bowling side, Bhargav Prakash proved pivotal, dismantling Bentleigh’s middle order with 3 wickets. Ari Mamalis and Jason Baker bagged a couple of wickets too, tightening the noose around Bentleigh’s neck at crucial junctures.
Bentleigh Uniting 3 must reflect on their performance – having made a good start, it was the inability to stem the fall of wickets that cost them the game. Nevertheless, with glimpses of brilliance in between, they are certainly a team full of potential and promise.
In the end, the game was a telling reminder of the vagaries of this unpredictable sport – the twists and turns from the flickering hopes of a promising start to a devastating collapse, and finally, a nerve-wracking chase. Still, it’s just the beginning, and with plenty of cricket left in the season, all might not be lost for Bentleigh Uniting 3.
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