DAVID Somerfield continued his assault on opposition bowlers on Saturday in round seven of Barber Shield cricket.
Somerfield compiled a classy century, with 132 runs from 117 balls faced when Penola hosted West Gambier at McCorquindale Park.
His innings included 13 fours and a handful of sixes, which was eventually brought to an end by youngster Connor Prior, who went on to finish with four wickets for the day.
Penola reached an imposing 285 runs, to set West a big target on day two of play, despite ending the innings ending after 66 overs.
But things could not have started much worse for the Eagles, with Jack Schulz dismissed for no score on just the third ball of the day.
Schulz was caught by Niall Eaterbrook off the bowling of Richard Crute and suddenly the Eagles had to regroup.
Jase Bateman headed to the middle and the side did settle, with a handy 33-run partnership ensuing with Jack Mullan.
Easterbrook was again in on the action when he held a catch from Bray Stephenson to send Bateman back to the shed for 11 runs, with Mullan following soon after for 36.
At 3/68 the Eagles still looked solid, but when Lewis March fell to Crute for 20 runs and the total at 78, it did not look as bright.
However, Somerfield was finding form and continued to push hard for runs, despite his partners falling by the wayside.
Sam Klemm became another victim of Stephenson, caught for just one run, while Mark Smith could only offer two before Prior stepped up with a caught-and-bowled.
The pair did hang around to ensure Somerfield could keep the scoreboard ticking over, as did Michael Waters, who worked well and held up his end for a total of 12, before Prior had him caught by Crute.
Easterbrook clean bowled Brett Vaughan for seven and the total sat at 8/182.
But the Eagles’ fortunes soon changed, when Conrad Slabber joined Somerfield at the crease and the pair began to find the boundary a bit more regularly.
Somerfield was next to go, caught Sam Willis, bowled Prior, but by then he and Slabber had compiled an 82-run partnership to take the total along to 264.
In the end Penola reached the handy total of 285, with West facing the final 11 overs of the day.
Prior was not as lucky with the bat, out for 13 runs, with Easterbrook and Nick Bone unbeaten at stumps, with the total at 1/28.
Prior finished the day with bowling figures of 4/48 off his 13 overs, while Crute and Stephenson grabbed two scalps each.
