PENOLA is set to maintain its undefeated status for the 2018-19 Mount Gambier Cricket Association Barber Shield competition, as it claimed the first-innings points over South Gambier in the first day of the teams’ Round 4 meeting.
The result was one of two Barber Shield matches which have already been decided, with Mil Lel surpassing East Gambier’s score on day one.
At McCorquindale Park, the Eagles won the toss and elected to bowl, a decision which paid off.
The Demons posted just 59 runs to be all out in the 38th over, due to yet another consistent effort by Penola’s bowlers.
Michael Waters topped the charts with three wickets, while Brad Maney, Dave Somerfield and Brett Vaughan claimed two scalps each.
Many of South’s batsmen struggled to even reach those figures at the crease, with half the order not making it to three runs.
In fact, just two South batsmen reached double figures on a day the Demons would probably rather forget.
Camron Jorgenson and Daniel Loupos opened for the Demons, but it was short-lived, with the two managing just three runs between them before Jorgenson was bowled by Maney for two and Loupos retired on one.
Dylan Clough was next to the crease and was surely riding the high of last week’s century against the Bulldogs.
But history did not repeat itself – nor was it close – as he was clean bowled by Waters with just six runs on the board.
Youngster Adam Kuhl was next to go, with four runs to his name when he was caught by Mark Smith off Waters.
The bad luck continued for the Demons with both Luke Zadow (one) and Dane Pople (four) the next to fall victim to the Eagles.
At that point South was 5/34, with Josh Thompson and David Vine at the crease.
Vine’s stint was short and he was bowled by Waters with no runs to his name, while Thompson went on to top score for the Demons with 21.
Mitchell Sims was the only other double-figure scorer for the Demons and he posted 12 runs before he was caught and bowled by Vaughan.
Thompson was then joined by Robbie Drenthen, but only one run was added before the former was caught by Jack Mullan off Vaughan.
Drenthen was dismissed by Somerfield with no score, leaving the total at 59, with just 38.4 overs played.
With the Eagles going in to bat, it did not take long for the runs to start adding up.
Lewis March and Mullan opened at the crease and despite the latter out for no score, March went on to post a credible 21 runs.
His partnership with Jase Bateman saw the target well within reach, as the total sat at 52 when March was caught by Thompson off Jorgenson.
Bateman was then joined by Somerfield and added one more run to finish with 28 when an lbw saw him dismissed by Jorgenson.
Smith took to the crease and the first-innings victory was secured, with the total at 64 when he was caught by Thompson off Zadow for four.
Somerfield went on to record 22-not-out, while Sam Klemm made eight-not-out, to see Penola 4/89 from 36 overs at the end of the first day.
With the ball Jorgenson finished with two scalps, while both Drenthen and Zadow had one each.
The Eagles will now chase a points boost and a potential outright victory this Saturday, in what is sure to be another solid display from the home team.
