Tara Murray
The growth for the younger players at Bacchus Marsh is setting the club up for the future in the Gisborne and District Cricket Association.
The Bulls have had as many as six 15-year-olds playing in their top two sides at times this season and it has paid dividends.
The McIntyre Cup side finished the regular season in second spot, as did the club’s Johnstone Shield side.
Bulls coach Paul Baker said it was the young talent which was behind him returning to the club and taking on the coaching role.
“We’ve had two or three 15-year-olds who have been playing [in the McIntyre Cup] team and they’re all contributing which is good.
“There’s three 15-year-olds as well in the twos which is good. Hopefully we’ll see a lot of them for a few years.”
Sam Lalor is leading the way of the young brigade, having cemented a spot opening the batting in the McIntyre Cup side.
Baker said Lalor was one of the main reasons for their success so far. He said he expected Lalor to head to premier cricket next season.
“We’ve been consistent at the top order,” he said. “We’ve been consistent without being brilliant.
“Our bowling and fielding are baking it up.”
Baker said Nick Strangio and captain Tom Wardell were others who have had really strong seasons.
The Bulls kick off their finals campaign this Saturday against Sunbury United in a qualifying final.
The two sides were meant to face off in the final round of the season, but the match ended in a draw with no play due to the wet weather.
Baker said it would have been nice to challenge themselves against the undefeated United team before finals.
“We’ll have to this weekend,” he said.
“We played them in round three or something like that and they’ve continued on their way.
“We had to make some games after that game. Not so much personnel wise, but playing wise.”
Baker said he believed the key to this finals series would be the fielding and that it would decide matches.
Gisborne will play Diggers Rest Bulla and Romsey will host Wallan, both elimination finals, after all matches ended in draws on Saturday.
Just two matches, Wallan against the Sunbury Kangaroos, and Romsey against East Sunbury got underway, but neither were completed.
It meant the top six remained the same.
In the Johnstone Shield, there was a bit more action with four of the five matches going ahead.
A win for Riddell against Aintree moved it into the top six.
Aintree made 9-193 from its 40 overs. The match would finish on the second last ball, with the Bombers making 4-196.
The win moved the Bombers into sixth spot, with Sunbury United losing to Bacchus Marsh.
In the other games, Romsey easily accounted for East Sunbury,
The Redbacks made 1-68 in reply to the Thunder’s 63.
Macedon had a big win against Kyneton. The Cats made 3-165 in reply to Kyneton’s 5-162.
The match between Gisborne and Eynesbury, finished in a draw.
