General News
31 January, 2025
Leach snares another seven
By GARY WALSH ANOTHER seven-wicket haul from Jayden Leach has given Kingower the edge over Wedderburn Band in their critical two-day match. The winner is almost certain to finish on top of the ladder, and it’s Kingower’s all-round strength that...
By GARY WALSH
ANOTHER seven-wicket haul from Jayden Leach has given Kingower the edge over Wedderburn Band in their critical two-day match.
The winner is almost certain to finish on top of the ladder, and it’s Kingower’s all-round strength that has it best placed to seal top spot.
It was a day of fits and starts at Wedderburn, begun – as is almost traditional – with a first-over wicket from Gower captain Leach.
Bradley Holt was clean bowled by the third ball of the match, and the score quickly became 2-13 when James Van De Wettering was caught behind off Kyle Simpson’s bowling.
Finn Turnbull and Isaac Holt dug in and took the score to 32 off 12 overs before both fell in consecutive overs.
Band captain Will Holt and Andrew Brett then came together and clawed their way to 69 before Holt fell to Leach for 21 off 38 balls – the first of six consecutive wickets for the bowling sensation.
Brett was the mainstay, with his singular technique of either blocking dourly or swinging lustily something to behold.
He scored only one single off the 121 runs he faced, whacking four sixes and six fours, along with three twos, on his way to 57 not out.
It’s fair to say he’s not that keen on running.
Wickets fell in clumps, with Danny Benaim (0) departing on 69 along with his captain.
It took Steve Giorlando, batting at number eight, to give Brett the support he needed.
Giorlando batted for an impressive 57 balls in making 21, putting on a 48-run partnership with Brett and taking the side to 7-117.
But then the wheels fell off again, with the last four wickets adding just 20 runs as Leach took 4-0 off his last three overs.
His 7-26 matched his haul in round one against Arnold and came after his 7-15 a week earlier against Boort Yando.
Leach now has 29 wickets for the season at the astonishing average of 7.34.
Defending a disappointing 137, Wedderburn needed early wickets against the imposing Kingower batting lineup.
Reliable openers Matt Rowe and Will Deason batted circumspectly, but both fell cheaply – Rowe for 13 off 33 balls and Deason for 12 off 38 deliveries after he shouldered arms one time too often and was bowled by Isaac Holt.
With Kingower 2-30, Wedderburn’s tails were up, but the visitors shut up shop, ending the day at 2-54 off 24 overs.
Leach was unusually patient, scoring off only five of the 39 balls he faced, to finish not out on 11.
He had a willing partner in Ben Rose, promoted from number eight the week before, who made his way to nine after facing 35 deliveries.
Will Holt’s decision to switch to leg-spin after beginning with his usual medium pace proved to be a poor one, with his last ball for the day a full toss that flew over the keeper’s head to the boundary. Quick wickets are the order for Wedderburn when the match resumes next Saturday.
The match between Boort Yando and Bridgewater will now be played as a one-day clash next week after the teams agreed to abandon the first day due to a lack of player availability.
Kingower v Wedderburn
Wedderburn
B. Holt b J. Leach 0
F. Turnbull lbw b L. Dejong 11
J. Van De Wettering c D. Rose b K. Simpson 0
I. Holt c J. Leach b M. Rowe 15
W. Holt c L. Dejong b J. Leach 21
A. Brett not out 57
D. Benaim b J. Leach 0
S. Giorlando b J. Leach 21
M. Lockhart c W. Deason b J. Leach 0
B. Hartnell lbw b J. Leach 0
A. Postle b J. Leach 0
Extras 12
Total 137
Bowling: J. Leach 13-7-26-7, K. Simpson 9-6-9-1, L. Dejong 7-2-19-1, M. Rowe 13-4-40-1, W. Deason 1-0-12-0, R. Murphy 2-1-4-0, B. Rose 5-2-17-0.
Kingower
M. Rowe lbw b A. Postle 13
W. Deason b I. Holt 12
J. Leach not out 11
B. Rose not out 9
Extras 9
Total 2/54
Bowling: A. Postle 9-3-15-1, W. Holt 6-1-14-0, I. Holt 6-1-17-1, D. Benaim 3-2-4-0.