West Gambier 5/210 d Penola 8/163
WEST Gambier proved it could again be the side to contest the Mount Gambier and District Cricket Association Barber Shield competition with North Gambier after a 47-run defeat of Penola at Malseed Park.
Penola won the toss and elected to bat first in hope to get off to a solid start.
And that it did.
Opener’s Jase Bateman and Jack Mullan put together an 80-run partnership in the first 20 overs and West was still in search of its first wicket.
Skipper Niall Easterbrook claimed the first at the expense of Mullan (38) and the Roos looked to be back in the game.
The next scalp followed shortly after when Jack Schulz was dismissed for a duck.
Mark Smith and Bateman extended the team’s total to 100 before Smith was sent walking on 12 from an Easterbrook ball caught by Jack Geddes.
Bateman’s wicket fell just 14 runs later after he amassed 56 runs, Easterbrook knocked over the woodwork.
Penola was 4/114 and was in a satisfactory position heading into the final nine overs of the match.
George Kidman and Wayne Mitchell added to the score, but Easterbrook soon put a stop to Penola’s dominance with yet another wicket, this time at Kidman’s expense, after he added just 15 runs to the total.
Mitchell soon found his feet at the crease and began to make shots with confidence, while assisted by Michael Waters.
The two boosted Penola’s total to 149 before Mitchell was judged lbw off a Richard Crute ball for 22.
Brett Vaughan then joined Waters at the crease, but for limited time.
Youngster Bowen Hosking ensured West was still in with a chance at victory and forced Vaughan back to the sidelines after he was caught out by Crute for just three runs.
Logan Gibbs then padded up for his time at the crease, but Waters was caught behind by wicket keeper Jake Blackwell for 13 and as a result he was soon joined by Conrad Slabber.
However, while Gibbs contributed with two runs not out, Slabber was unable to get a score on the board before the 40 overs were up.
Best with the ball for West was Easterbrook who claimed an impressive 5/27 off eight overs, while Hosking managed two and Crute one.
Penola finished with 8/163 and sent West in to bat.
The Roos continued their solid performance into the battling, despite a shaky start.
Hosking was sent walking in the first over for just two runs, judged lbw off Waters and the Eagles looked damaging.
From there, West reached 33 before fellow opener Easterbook was dismissed on 21 from a Logan Gibbs delivery.
The team’s total continued to increase at a quick rate when both Blackwell and Crute made their way to the pitch.
Crute hit a quick-fire 28 runs, which included five fours before he was dismissed, caught Gibbs, bowled Mullan.
With 75 runs on the board after 17 overs, it was crucial West stepped up if it was to claim the win.
Sam Willis joined Blackwell at the crease and the two went to work.
Both found the boundary with ease and ways to make quick runs, not only putting together a 93-run partnership, but also handing the Roos the win.
Willis was dismissed on 41, lbw to Kidman, while Blackwell continued to find runs with help from Ben Hentschke.
The two made it to the 40th over before Blackwell – in search of his century – was clean bowled by Justin Robbie, just short on 97.
Hentschke had added 10 runs not out to the team’s eventual score of 5/210.
Penola did not have a standout with the ball as Waters, Gibbs, Mullan, Kidman and Robbie all claimed one scalp apiece.
West’s win will certainly give it confidence coming into the season’s two-game fixture.
However, a number of players absent from the Penola side could have had an influence on the final result.
The Eagles will come out firing when facing reigning champions North Sportmen’s in the first two-day game of the fixture, while West Gambier will head into its match against Mil Lel with confidence.
