NORTH Sportsman’s used just five batsmen to claim a Twenty20 victory Thursday night against a struggling West Gambier at Malseed Park.
The opening round of the Big Bash competition saw the Tigers on the front foot throughout, ripping through the Roos batting lineup to hold them to just 90 runs from the 20 allotted overs, before making short work of the run chase, reaching the target in the 15th over.
A half-century to Jake Schutz was the foundation of the victory with the bat, but with the ball the results were spread across five bowlers, with Declan Kenny the best with figures of 3/15 off his four overs.
The Tigers drew first blood when they won the toss and sent West in to bat and Kenny soon made his mark with the wicket of the returning Niall Easterbrook for a duck.
Easterbrook was back after an injury break, but had little time to settle before he edged a ball to keeper Tom Edwards.
The Roos looked to regain composure when Sam Willis joined Justin Dejong at the crease, but with just five runs on the board Kenny struck again.
This time he knocked over the stumps of Dejong, who was yet to bother the scorers.
Another five runs were added before Kayne Badman sent Willis on his way, caught by Matt McInerney for just three runs.
A steadying hand came through Jake Blackwell and Bowen Hosking, who combined for a further 22 runs.
Blackwell found the majority of those before his partner was caught by Schutz off Nick McInerney for eight and again the Roos were struggling at 4/32.
Corey Couch joined Blackwell and also played an anchor role, rotating the strike to give the in-form batsman plenty of opportunities to find runs.
The partnership offered 38 runs, but it would be the last of note for the innings.
Blackwell was caught and bowled by Badman, which in effect ended any chance West had of posting a decent score.
West had slumped to 5/70 and when Couch was caught by Nick McInerney off the bowling of Tim Young for nine with just three more runs added to the total, even a century looked a distant hope.
Richard Crute was Kenny’s third and final scalp for the night, out for six, while Jack Geddes was clean bowled by Matt McInerney for three.
Connor Prior tried to push the run rate along but was found short of his crease and run out for five, while Shane Dycer (3) and Trueman Schrader (2) remained not out at the end of the innings.
With just 90 runs to defend it was always going to be a tall order for the Roos.
That was not helped by an opening half-century stand from Matt McInerney and Schutz, with the pair banging on 50 runs before the former was sent on his way, caught Crute, bowled Dejong for 21.
Nick McInerney came and went for a duck, run out by Dycer, while Mitch Lewis was caught and bowled by Dejong for six.
But the damage had already been done, with Schutz reaching his half-century to make easy work of the run chase.
His 55 runs included six fours and one six.
