It had been hard going for Darley after the Christmas break but Lions got their Ballarat Cricket Association season back on track on Saturday.
The Lions picked up their first win since before Christmas, as they chased down Buninyong’s total of 8-228 set on day one of the match.
“It was good to get back on the winners circle and help cement our spot in the top four,” captain-coach Nathan Yates said.
“Our batting had been letting us down the last couple of games and I’d spoken to the boys about application when we’re batting.
“Dig in for the fight, like we did yesterday [Saturday].”
Yates said he had asked the boys to respond in a certain way and they were able to do exactly that which was the most pleasing thing from the performance.
After losing an early wicket, the Lions were able to steady with the rest of their top and middle order all getting starts.
The Lions managed to get the winning runs in the 77th over, finishing 6-229.
Hasitha Wickramasinghe was the key in the innings making 99 before he was run out. He and Jarrod Burns (47) put on 126 for the third wicket.
The win has the Lions sitting in third position with two matches remaining.
Second and fourth are on the same points, while fifth and sixth are just six points behind in what is proving to be a tight competition again. Mt Clear is the runaway leader at the top of the table.
“It was a much needed win to keep in the finals conversation,,” Yates said. “Hopefully we can win the last two games and cement our spot in finals and hopefully go from there.”
The Lions face Napoleons Sebastopol in this round before finishing the regular season against local rival Bacchus Marsh.
While the Lions are still in the finals mix, the Bulls hopes of going back-to-back are all but over after losing to Wendouree.
Chasing Wendouree’s 249, the Bulls never got going in their innings on Saturday.
They slipped to 4-18 early on and it was soon 7-47.
Harrison Scardamaglia was the only one showing any resistance of the top and middle order.
Matthew Crea (23) and Bradley Croxford (17 not out) put up some fight for the Bulls, who were eventually bowled out for 112.
Scardamaglia top scored with 33.
The Bulls sit in eighth spot, 15 points outside the top four. The Bulls face bottom side Buninyong in the second last round.
Meanwhile, the Bulls women’s side lost a second straight match in the Gisborne and District Cricket Association A-grade competition.
The Bulls made 4-137 from their 20 overs with Sarah Bamford top scoring with 50.
The Magpies got the runs with ease, as they finished 3-138 with nearly five overs remaining.
