West Gambier 7/224 d South Gambier 69
WEST Gambier kicked off its 2017-18 cricket season in style, with an easy victory over South Gambier on Saturday at Blue Lake Sports Park.
Half-centuries from openers Niall Easterbrook and youngster Bowen Hosking set up the win, with Easterbrook falling just shy of the South total, before remainder of the batting lineup pushed on to post an impressive 224 off its 40 overs.
New recruits from the failed Kongorong side buoyed the West roster, playing a major role in the victory.
West won the toss and sent South in to bat in the one-day format match.
Jacob Parham was sent on his way in the first over before the scorers had been bothered, bowled by recruit Richard Crute, while Camron Jorgenson lasted until only the second over.
He was run out chasing a quick single, but had also not contributed to the score of three.
South settled for three overs, but in the sixth Liam Neshoda and Dylan Clough both departed, leaving Sam Phelan at the wicket while his fellow batsmen fell around him.
But in the next over Phelan also returned to the sidelines, joining Neshoda as a victim of another recruit in Sam Willis.
Nicholas Seager departed with no further score added and South was in real trouble at 6/15.
Robbie Drenthen played a stabilising role, but his runs came while the remainder of the batting lineup floundered under the pressure.
He managed an impressive 39, supported by Adam Kuhl (7) and Sam Von Duve (4).
Once Drenthen and Von Duve were out it was all over, with Daniel Loupos retiring hurt earlier in the innings.
Willis starred with the ball, finishing with figures of 4/11 off six overs.
Crute and Hentschke claimed two wickets each.
From there West took the willow in hand and began to find runs comfortably, chasing the meagre 69 total.
Easterbrook and Hosking were in control, finding runs at will on their way to a pair of 51s.
Easterbrook fell at the hands of Jorgenson, reaching his 51 with the team total at 62.
Ben Hentschke – also from Kongorong – came in and offered 13 runs, while Crute had little impact with the bat, falling to Kuhl for just one run.
But from there Jack Gosling (23) supported Hosking while he reached his half-century, while Willis (28) and Tye McManus (25 not out) pushed the total along, with Sam Coxon adding a handy 16 not out at the bottom of the order.
With the ball West’s Neshoda, Kuhl and Drenthen claimed two scalps each.
