St Anthonys joined the winners’ circle on Saturday with a three-wicket victory against Sunbury United that could change the complexion of the McIntyre Cup.
After suffering a number of lopsided hidings in the first month of the season, St Anthonys was bottom with a woeful percentage heading into the clash with the defending champion. But a disciplined bowling performance and steady nerve in the run chase pulled off the 7-109 to 103 upset.
St Anthonys (six points) is still bottom of the Gisborne District Cricket Association’s table on percentage, its 0.56 ratio still well behind Wallan (6, 0.87).
The bottom team gets relegated from McIntyre Cup at the end of the season.
PICTURE GALLERY: Bacchus Marsh v Riddell
But the big win offers hope that a team rolled for scores of 34 and 73 in games last month has now found its feet in the division.
A 5-15 collapse in the top order put United on the back foot, with only Peter Jaeger (28) and No.9 Jarrod Potter (21) ensuring United set a triple-figure target. Nick Behan (4-22), Warren Haffenden (2-14) and Vis Visahan (2-22) did the damage with the ball.
St Anthonys fell to 3-18 early in the chase as Leif Louwen-Skovdam (2-9) struck early for United with the ball. But Cameron Lewis (34) and Jeremy Hibbert (11) steadied to stop United running through the card.
Steady wickets through the middle order extracted 4-30, but Jason Craven (23no) and St Anthonys captain Michael Yates (15no) put together a 35-run stand for the eighth wicket to get the chase home in the 35th over.
At the top of the table, Bacchus Marsh bats faltered as the Bulls fell 20 runs short against Riddell. The Bombers set 7-131 from their 40 overs, but Scott Wakefield (32) and Peter Lalor (29) were the only top-order players to reach double figures as Bacchus Marsh tumbled out for 111 in reply. Elsewhere, Sunbury (9-150) beat Woodend (7-141), while Romsey (183) beat Wallan (5-139).
In B-grade, Gisborne is the last unbeaten team standing after inflicting Diggers Rest Bulla Village’s first loss of the campaign.
The Burras made 121 before Jarryd Vernon (50no) and Geordy Nolan (42) took a brisk Gisborne chase to 3-123 by just the 23rd over.
In Twenty20, the GDCA has again opted for a two-tiered competition, which starts on Tuesday, November 19. All bar one of the association’s 19 clubs will join this year’s tournament. The eight McIntyre Cup teams will contest Premier division this season, while teams from B-grade to E-grade make up District division. Tylden’s first XI from E-grade is the club from the lowest division playing in this year’s tournament.
All teams will get two games and the best four records will advance to semi-finals.
Finals will be on Tuesday, December 10.
