By Lachlan Onions
THERE were thirteen wickets to fall on Day 1 of the Barber Shield contest between Mil Lel and Penola on Saturday at Frew Park.
With overcast skies and the threat of rain prominent, the Eagles won the toss and elected to bowl first.
In just the fifth over of the game, Penola’s strike-bowler Lachy Jones, claimed the first wicket of the game when he dismissed William Rowland for 12 runs.
After he took a wicket with the last ball of the fifth over, Jones found himself on a hat-trick when he sent Brad Talbot back to the pavilion for a golden duck with the first ball of the seventh over.
The pressure was on Logan Gibbs who made his way out to the middle at 2/15 and was tasked with dealing with the hat-trick ball.
Gibbs survived the hat-trick ball and formed a solid partnership with Jarrod Sanders as the pair looked to push on.
The two added 24 runs to the total and lasted 14 overs in the middle together before Jones struck again and Gibbs was caught by Josh Doyle for 13.
Sanders was caught and bowled by Doyle shortly after to leave Mil Lel at 4-43.
Doyle continued to be a thorn in the side for hosts and he struck twice in the 30th over and the game appeared to be slipping away from Mil Lel at 6/50.
Darcy Williamson looked like he was going to be the man to hold the fort down for the hosts but he was eventually bowled by Gerard Merrett for nine runs off 33 balls.
Jack Mullan and Jones then cleaned up the tail to restrict Mil Lel to just 79 runs.
Jones was the pick of the bowlers with 4/18 off 14 overs, while Doyle also impressed with 3/24.
For Mil Lel, Gibbs top-scored with 13 runs, while Nick Walters finished not out on 12.
With just 80 runs needed for a first innings victory, the pressure was on Mil Lel’s bowlers from the outset.
However, in the third over the hosts made a major breakthrough when Mullan was caught by Sanders off Gibbs’ bowling to make it 1/7.
Walters claimed wickets in the eighth and 10th overs which brought Penola captain Drew Clayfield to the crease at 3/30.
Clayfield and Lewis March held on for 10 more balls and added eight to the total before stumps was called on Day 1.
The Eagles will resume this Saturday, trailing by 41 runs with seven wickets in hand.
