Tara Murray
Bacchus Marsh has its second win of the Ballarat Cricket Association season, defeating Brown Hill on Saturday afternoon.
The weekend was the second stanza of the two day clash, and was full of drama.
Brown Hill won the toss last weekend and elected to bat, putting on a first innings score of 187.
The Bulls were strong in the chase with a handful of batsmen getting away with starts, yet unable to convert it into a meaningful score.
With just 15 runs to go in the chase the Bulls lost two wickets for no runs, leaving batsmen 10 and 11 the task of getting them home.
The Bulls finished 9-188, hitting the runs with nearly 10 overs to spare.
“It was quite nerve wracking at the end,” coach Paul Baker said.
“The boys sort of stuck together in good partnerships and it was a total team batting effort, which was quite pleasing.
“James Lidgett started us off and got us rolling and then everyone contributed along the way.
“Connor Ascough batting at seven made mid-30s and he was in a partnership with young Angus Jones who’s a 16-year-old.
“The boys have worked really hard over the last month to work on their batting because we’ve seen other sides bat right down and we’ve been on the receiving end of that a couple of times with some low order wickets and partnerships have cost us.
“So we’ve worked really hard at that and we were confident that all 11 could bat but you never know when the nerves set in.
“To their credit they got through and the rooms were quite a happy place last night.”
Lidgett top scored with 41 at the top of the order.
On Saturday Bacchus Marsh will face Darley, in the return to the local derbies. It’s the first time the two cross town rivals have faced each other since the Bulls moved to the BCA in the off season.
“The boys are excited about playing at home virtually because Darley Park is just on the other side of town,” Baker said.
“I don’t think any of the boys would have played out there on the turf so that’s exciting as well for them.
“We’re really looking forward to it.”
While the rivalry between the two sides was fierce when the sides were a part of the Gisborne and District Cricket Association, Baker said that tensions have simmered and currently, there is no bad blood between the traditional rivals.
“I don’t know how many years it was when we played in the GDCA against them but there aren’t any players left from that rivalry,” he said.
“I don’t feel it from our side, the competition is brand new for us and we’re just excited to see who we play each week.
“We’re just up for the challenge, it’ll be great.”
