MIL LEL has its work cut out when chasing an impressive total of 223 set by Penola at McCorquindale Park in Round 5 of the Mount Gambier and District Cricket Association Barber Shield competition on Saturday.
Jake Schulz and Mark Smith were big contributors to the eventual score, with both reaching their half-century.
Mil Lel won the toss and elected to bowl first, which in hindsight would be seen as a mistake.
However, despite the eventual dominance, the Eagles’ start was less than satisfactory.
Skipper Jase Bateman was dismissed for a duck in the opening over of the game, while fellow opener Lewis March was sent walking for one run shortly after.
The two were dismissed after they were caught behind by Carey Megaw off Ben Thiel.
Schulz and Jack Mullan went straight to work, with the latter making the few necessary singles to put Schulz on strike.
The duo reached 26 runs before Mullan was dismissed for two after he was also caught by Megaw and bowled by Thiel.
As a result George Kidman entered the clash.
Kidman worked well with Schulz, with the two finding the boundary and running hard between the wickets.
An impressive 55 runs were added to Penola’s tally before Schulz returned to the sidelines after reaching his half-century on 56.
Michael Waters joined Kidman for a short stint at the crease.
He added a two and a six to his personal tally before Tom Nieuwerkerk clean bowled him on eight runs.
Smith then padded up and found his feet early, running hard with Kidman and finding the boundary to increase Penola’s tally.
The duo reached a partnership of 41 before Kidman’s time at the crease came to an end on 36.
Penola sat at 6/134 and looked in control, with Wayne Mitchell continuing the good work with Smith.
The pair put together a handy partnership of 34 runs, before Smith was dismissed for credible 51.
Dermot Moore was sent walking for a duck and Penola was sitting on 171 with two wickets in hand and 25 overs still to bat.
The Eagles were already looking like the dominant side, but that did not stop Mitchell and incoming batsmen Brad Maney from stepping things up a notch.
The duo batted out eight overs and added 28 runs to the total, to bring to tally to 199 before Mitchell was dismissed by Nieuwerkerk on 21.
Conrad Slabber was the new batsmen to take to the crease and worked well with Maney to again increase the team’s score, reaching 223 before the he was sent walking, with Maney managing an unbeaten 30 runs.
Penola was all out in the 74th over, but its total of 223 means it will come in with confidence in Day 2 this weekend.
Mil Lel’s Thiel managed an impressive 5/24 off 13.2 overs and will hope to bring that confidence into this Saturday with the bat.
He was also well supported by Nieuwerkerk who claimed three scalps.
