In a thrilling match of the Longmuir Shield, Round 21, held on Saturday, 14th Oct 2023 at 12.30 PM, Bentleigh ANA 1 took on Bentleigh Uniting 1 with the former ending victorious. Special credit goes to AWK Tyrone and Luke Forrest from Bentleigh ANA 1 and Callum Cathcart, Malin Silva and Buddhika De Alwis from Bentleigh Uniting 1 for their remarkable contributions.
Bentleigh ANA kicked off the match with an impressive score of 249 with the loss of just six wickets. AKV Tyrone played a pivotal role with a stirring knock of 64. The skilful partnership of Tyrone with Tim Scott, who contributed 38 runs to the scoreboard, added valuable momentum, leading the team toward an imposing total.
The first wicket, claimed by Buddhika De Alwis, was Luke Forrest, caught at a commendable score of 37. The second victory for Bentleigh Uniting was Tim Scott’s wicket, seized by Chris Lavery, wrapping up the innings at a score of 79.
This was followed by the team’s middle order displaying equal tenacity, as Tyrone was finally caught by Malin Silva. The following batsman, Anuththara Madawa Fernando Baminahannadige stood unfazed, leaving the ground as “not out.”
Moving on to the bowling analysis of Round 21, Chris Lavery emerged victorious with three wickets under his belt. Lavery cleverly controlled the top order in unison with Buddhika de Alwis and then claimed the middle order alongside Nicholas Halliday.
Coming in to chase an intimidating score of 249, Bentleigh Uniting 1 fell short by just 23 runs. With the total wickets of 10, the team faced a tight match but showed tremendous resilience. Key contributors of the team, Callum Cathcart and Malin Silva, graced the scoreboard with half-centuries.
Campbell James was the first dismissal with a score of 10. Callum Cathcart then held the fort with a solid 59 before being caught by the lethal bowel of AKV Tyrone. A sturdy partnership between Cathcart and Buddhika de Alwis who efficiently added 44 runs kept the dream of victory alive.
Malin Silva’s excellent knock of 57 came as the ninth wicket, leaving the team tantalizingly close to the target. Their final batsman, George McCormick, remained unbeaten.
Despite the stiff challenge, Bentleigh ANA’s bowling was exceptional in the second innings. Notably, AKV Tyrone and Bryce Jansz (c) both claimed three key wickets each. Although the match swayed towards Bentleigh ANA 1, it was a nail-biting contest characterized by high-quality cricket from both sides. The margin of victory may have been fairly close, yet the intense competition kept fans at the edge of their seats until the last ball.
Quiney Shield
Omega 2 Batting defend 180 against Bentleigh Uniting 2 Batting in the Quiney Shield. Main contributors included Omega 2’s Steve Lay, Bradley Atholwood, and Aaron Swann, along with Bentleigh Uniting 2’s James Still.
In the heart of autumn Saturday cricket action, 14th October 20230 witnessed Round 3 of Quiney Shield between Omega 2 Batting and Bentleigh Uniting 2 Batting. The pitch, a blend of contrasting fortunes, had Omega 2 hustle to defend a hard-fought 180 run first innings total against Bentleigh Uniting 2.
Omega 2’s batting was a patchwork of tenacity and resilience, with the first blood drawn at a team score of just 12 runs – Vice-Captain Benjamin Hibbert bowled out by Cameron Thorne. The subsequent arrival of Steve Lay at the crease was a masterstroke; his determined 37 off 65 balls invigorated the innings. Lay, along with Captain Bradley Atholwood, who scored a combative 41 off 42 balls, set up a determined 56-run partnership to put its total past the 100-run mark.
However, the shining star of the innings was the unyielding spirit of Adam Ditrocchio, facing 37 balls for a steadfast “not out”. Omega 2 ended with a defendable 180/9, with bentleigh’s bowlers, especially Michael Debono, who made considerable damage with 3 wickets, putting up solid performances.
Diving into their chase, Bentleigh Uniting 2 opened with Rohan Wilson, who made a brief contribution of 10 runs. It was James Still who led the batting chart for Bentleigh with an aggressive 29-run knock. But, the Omega 2 attack proved too potent, with Anthony D’Amico capturing 4 wickets and James Mathieson signing off with the destructive takedown of 3 lower-order batsmen.
The downfall of the top order led to the subsequent collapse with only a marginal contribution from the middle order, culminating at a total of 69. Bentleigh faced the Omega 2 bowling onslaught, the margin of victory turning quite enormous in the end.
All in all, it was a match dominated by both ball and grit. Omega 2’s exemplary bowling performance coupled with key batting contributions was the story of the day. Bentleigh Uniting 2 will have taken their lessons from this contest and look forward to a reinvigorated comeback next week.
The journey continues, with teamsbattling out in the hopes of holding the coveted Shield amidst the echoingapplause. The cricketing spirit continues unabated, much like the relentlesspath of seasons.
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