By Trevor Jackson
NORTH Sportsman’s claimed top position in the Hoggies Wines Barber Shield cricket competition after a solid first-innings victory over East Gambier on Saturday.
Day 2 of Round 8 saw the Bulldogs chasing an imposing total of 173 and began the innings well, with a couple of early partnerships to set the chase up.
Connor Little and Dion Stratford opened and put on 37 before the former was judged lbw to Elliott Fisher for 11.
Meanwhile it appeared Stratford was in good touch, as he found and cleared the boundary with regularity.
He was joined by Emerson Marks and the pair continued to push the run rate along.
Marks played an anchor role, rotating the strike and looking after his wicket while Stratford made the most of his form.
With 95 on the board Marks departed for 12, lbw to Nick McInerney.
Just six runs later Stratford was out for an impressive 78 off just 92 deliveries.
With him went East’s hopes of victory.
Kevin Thomson and Travis Younghusband made 11 runs each, with the total at 130 when the latter departed, but from there no other Bulldog reached double figures.
The side was bundled out for just 137 runs in the 63rd over.
McInerney did much of the damage with the ball in his return to bowling duties, with figures of 4/19 off six overs.
Then in a stunning twist, with the game already in hand, North returned to the batting crease but failed to impress.
Five wickets fell in the space of 14 overs, with just 30 runs on the board and not one Tiger reaching double figures.
However, it made no difference to the outcome, as North now sits clear on top of the ladder, with five wins, one draw and two losses for the season.
Meanwhile, South Gambier capitalised on its strong first innings with the ball on the final day of play.
The Demons had kept West Gambier to just 116 runs on Day 1 and were in the box seat to claim first-innings points, which they did with few concerns.
It did not take long for the runs to flow, as David Vine and Daniel Loupos put on 40 for the opening stand to set the day up.
Vine looked dangerous at the crease but was clean bowled by Sam Willis for 29 before too much damage was done.
Willis then stepped up and played a pivotal role in the run out of Loupos just eight runs later and when Dave Somerfield went for a duck, lbw to Niall Easterbrook on his first ball, West was up and about.
However, James Dunn and Josh Thompson settled somewhat, with a 37-run partnership to right the ship.
With 81 on the board Dunn was caught off Justin DeJong for 14 and three runs later Thompson was back in the shed for 22, caught off the same bowler.
The chase was anything but over, with Nick Seager next to go with the team century reached.
Robert Drenthen managed 12 runs and with it the first-innings victory came.
Michael Sims pushed on and compiled a timely unbeaten 36, with South all out for 150 in the 73rd over.
DeJong finished with figures of 6/45 off 14.2 overs.
West then returned to the crease but offered little to bother the scorers.
Connor Prior top scored with 27, while Jake Blackwell was the only other Roo to reach double figures with 11.
West finished the day at 5/64 in its second innings.
In the final game Penola claimed a much-needed victory to sneak into the top four.
The side had set a formidable 194 runs for Mil Lel to chase on Day 2 of play and it all started perfectly.
Michael Waters went to work immediately and claimed two wickets with no score on the board.
Waters had Tim McInerney caught by Mark Smith, before then knocking over the woodwork to dismiss Josh Jantosh and the home side was in trouble at 2/0.
Jack Miller and Craig Lock regrouped and set about righting the ship, with a timely half-century stand.
Miller provided 18 of those runs before he was caught-and-bowled by Waters.
Lock went two runs later, caught off Jack Mullan and when Carey Megaw departed with the total at just 56, Mil Lel was again in trouble.
Nicholas Walters and Darcy Williamson added some respectability to the scoreline, with a handy 52-run partnership, before both were out in the space of four runs, Mil Lel then floundering at 7/112.
Daniel Justin offered 29 runs down the order, while Brodie Glynn chipped in with 12 but Mil Lel was all out for 157 in the 65th over, well short of the target.
While Waters was impressive with the ball, with figures of 4/41, Lewis March cleaned up the bottom half of the batting order, with 5/28 off 12.2 overs.
