NORTH Sportsman’s completed Round 4 of Barber Shield cricket with a first innings victory over West Gambier with a solid display of bowling.
After compiling a big 325 runs with the bat on day one of play, the Tigers set about defending the total, which was helped largely by two impressive bowling efforts from Tim Young and Michael Johnston.
Young finished the day with 4/18 off 13 overs, while Johnston managed 5/28 off 19.
Declan Kenny claimed the remaining scalp.
There was no repeat of the two centuries in the opening batting innings from Jake Schutz and Mitch Lewis, with no West batsman reaching a half-century.
Instead it was the ball that dominated, with some sharp hands in the field which backed up the good work.
The Roos were dealt a blow early in their batting innings, with Jack Geddes caught behind off Young without bothering the scorers, with the team total at just one.
Only four runs later fellow opener Bray Stephenson was sent on his way with a solitary run to his name and West was already on the back foot.
Jake Blackwell and Sam Willis managed to settle the innings, with the pair putting together a handy 47-run partnership before Blackwell was clean bowled by Johnston for 28.
Willis hung around for a bit longer, but with 38 to his name the two star bowlers combined, with Young holding a catch off the bowling of Johnston and Willis’ day was over.
Richard Crute could offer nothing to the cause, another victim of Johnston.
When Johnston sent Bowen Hosking back to the sidelines for seven, the total was 6/85 and the Roos were in real trouble.
Ben Hentschke departed with the total at 92, but from there Josh Cornolo and Nick Bone settled.
With little hope to reach the score, the pair began to find some handy runs, but Young went to work and cleaned up the tail, with Bone, Will Glover and Trueman Schrader all departing in the space of four runs, with the final total of 130 runs well short of the target.
The old adage “catches win matches” was never more evident, with seven chances held in the field.
Matt McInerney held two, as did Tom Edwards behind the stumps.
Young, Matt Robinson and Justin McConnell all held one.
North went on to bat out the remaining seven overs to finish at 1/31.
