General News
31 October, 2024
Sloppy fielding adds to pressure
BOORT Yando always looked likely to reach the target of 91 in the T20 clash with Bridgewater Bulls on Saturday. Apart from the pesky business of losing wickets far too regularly, that is. Bridgewater batted first and got off to a decent start, with...
BOORT Yando always looked likely to reach the target of 91 in the T20 clash with Bridgewater Bulls on Saturday.
Apart from the pesky business of losing wickets far too regularly, that is.
Bridgewater batted first and got off to a decent start, with Tom and Harry McKinley opening.
The heavily grassed outfield made scoring difficult unless batsmen took to the air, which Tom McKinley did with three mighty sixes in his 23 off 20 balls.
His innings ended with an excellent caught-and-bowled from Alex Cockerell.
Nic Naughton gave the Bulls a defendable target with 41 off 53 balls, including three boundaries, as his side reached 4-90 off their 20 overs.
Boort didn’t help its cause with some sloppy fielding and dropped catches, and shared the wickets among four bowlers, with whippy right-armer Daniel Lehman looking the most dangerous.
Bridgewater had added some experience after fielding a very youthful side in round one, but still had three juniors doubling up after the early game, while Boort had two.
The Bulls youngsters proved their mettle in the field, with some good catches and determined efforts.
With the exception of Harry Malone, who clubbed three sixes and a four in his 24 off 11, no Boort batsmen really got hold of the Bulls attack, and the innings stuttered along with regular wickets falling.
After seven overs, Boort was going along at a run rate of seven, and were well ahead of the rate needed to win, but a mini collapse put the match back on even keel.
Toby Naughton had copped some stick from Malone, but had him trapped LBW first ball after going around the wicket.
He finished with 4-29, with an excellent run-out as well.
From 2-49, Boort had fallen to 6-65, but with Joshua Smith (15 not out off 31) playing the anchor role, he and Daniel Lehman got their team to the point where they needed six runs off four overs.
Garry Zanker was then run out by a direct hit during a maiden, and it became six runs off three.
A well-hit boundary from Smith — his only four — put Boort on the cusp of victory, and they sealed the result with two overs to spare.
Boort batted on until the end, with young Bulls bowler Xavier Power clean bowling Austin Malone in his one over, which cost just a single.
The Bulls host Arnold in a one-day match this week, while Boort travels to play Wedderburn Band.
Only incomplete scoreboards from this match have been provided. Home clubs are requested to provide copies of scoreboards to the Loddon Herald no later than midday Sundays.
- GARY WALSH