Darley secured its second Ballarat Cricket Association win of the season with a hard- fought victory against Ballarat-Redan on Saturday.
After losing the toss, the Lions were sent in to bat on their home deck, Darley Park, and the runs began flowing.
Oliver Smith and Ryan Ali combined for a near 100-run third-wicket stand and pushed the score beyond 150.
Smith went on to make 95, while Ali reached his second half-century of the season, making 52.
With the groundwork done, the Darley lower order was able to hit out and help the Lions to a healthy 6-230 from their 50 overs.
Darley captain-coach Matthew Cape was rapt with his side’s efforts at the crease.
“We needed to get our batting in order and we certainly did that with Oliver Smith, our English recruit, making a nice 95,” he said.
“He looked really solid. Ryan Ali chipped in with 50-odd and we had a really competitive total on the board after being sent in.
“You need a couple of blokes each innings to get going. I feel like we have five or six different options that can do it.”
In reply, Ballarat-Redan looked to be cruising towards the target at 1-140.
But a brilliant four-over spell from Darley’s Sajith Rupasingha changed the game. Rupasingha took four wickets to put his side back on top.
Cape said it was a match-winning effort.
“Sajith is great,” he said. “He certainly knows how to bowl off-spin.
“He is a very smart batsman as well. He knows how to bat and plays like a true Sri Lankan, all wrist and off the back foot. He’s fitted in very well and is providing us with that extra, class option we need.”
The flurry of wickets left Ballarat-Redan 27 runs short of the target as its final wicket fell in the last over of the match.
After starting the BCA season 0-2, Darley is 2-2 and has a chance to improve its record when it takes on the struggling Coronet City next week.
“We just need to come out and win,” Cape said. “We’re in eighth spot, but I think we are only a game off top spot so it’s important that we start well. If we win that, we will be right back up where we belong.”
There will be no BCA matches this week because of the Ballarat Cup.
Darley will play a T20 match on Sunday against Ballan, with play at Darley Civic Hub Oval starting at 7pm.
