NORTH Sportsman’s took control of its Round 2 Barber Shield cricket clash with East Gambier early, with two big half-centuries high up the order setting the innings up.
Both Jake Schutz and captain Matt McInerney were among the runs at Allan Scott Park, with the former falling agonisingly short of his century on 96.
McInerney remained unbeaten at the end of the innings with a classy captain’s knock of 87, bouncing back from last week’s effort where he offered nothing to the total.
East recorded two half-centuries of its own, with Ash Dumigan out for 59, while Alex Hentschke returned to the line up with 52.
But in the end it was not enough to close in on the 215 runs required for victory after an impressive display by the Tigers with the bat.
The Bulldogs won the toss, but elected to send North in to bat, which did not pan out as planned.
The first wicket did not fall until 45 runs were on the board, with Mitch Lewis clean bowled by Simon Golebiowski for 19.
Kayne Badman came and went without bothering the scorers, another victim of Golebiowski, but from there it was all Schutz and McInerney.
The pair simply took the East bowling attack apart, finding the boundary at will.
Schutz finished his innings with seven fours, plus a pair of sixes, while McInerney managed four boundaries and three sixes.
Just 46 runs were on the board when Badman departed, but the 157-run partnership ensured the Bulldogs would have a huge task ahead.
Schutz went with the score at 203, bowled by Hentschke, with little time left in the innings.
A further 11 runs were added, with Declan Kenny joining McInerney in the middle for the final push, with an impressive 3/214 posted after 40 overs.
It was a shaky start for East with the bat, with the first three wickets falling before the half-century was registered.
Kyan Chapman fell to Kenny for five with the total at 13 and just six runs later captain Dion Stratford was gone.
He managed just four runs before Kenny knocked his wickets over.
Darren Whitehorn and Dumigan then settled the innings, adding a further 23 runs before the former was sent back to the sidelines for 21 with the total then at 42.
The target still seemed a long way off, but an impressive display by Dumigan and the incoming Hentschke certainly gave some hope to the Bulldogs.
The pair banged on 82 runs before Dumigan fell victim to Badman for 59.
Hentshcke was then joined by Golebiowski and the runs continued.
However, after another 25 were added, Hentshcke was caught by Lewis off Kenny and the target looked somewhat distant.
Kenny went on to reach 11, but no other Bulldog finished in double figures.
After 40 overs East was short of the target at 7/159.
Kenny did most of the damage with the ball, with figures of 4/26 off his eight overs.
It was a disappointing result for the Bulldogs after they tied in the opening round with Penola.
For North it was a welcome result with the bat, after being all out for 131 in the 37th over against Mil Lel in Round 1 of the Mount Gambier and District Cricket Association’s Barber Shield competition.
