By Trevor Jackson
EARLY wickets and a trio of three-wicket hauls placed Mil Lel in a solid position after the opening day of play in Round 9 of Barber Shield cricket on Saturday.
However, the closing overs of the day did not pan out as they would have hoped, thanks to a dangerous spell of bowling from Alex Hentschke.
East Gambier won the toss and elected to bat on their home deck at Scott Park, but it soon went pear-shaped as three quick wickets had the Bulldogs on the back foot.
After a promising start, James Sullivan was clean bowled by Nick Walters for 13 off just 17 deliveries with the team total at 20.
Fellow opener Ben Robinson went just one run later for five, another Walters victim, while Alex Hill faced just two balls for his duck, lbw to Logan Gibbs with no further runs added to the score.
At 3/21 East looked in trouble, but Emerson Marks and Dion Stratford looked to steady the innings.
However, with a further 22 runs added to the total, the dangerous Stratford was caught off the bowling of Gibbs for just seven runs and again the Bulldogs were on the back foot.
Marks continued to play his shots, while Connor Little played a supporting role at the other end, facing 16 balls for two runs, before Walters trapped him in front.
Alex Hentschke then joined Marks in the middle and the pair put on a handy 27-run stand the former was caught off the bowling of Gibbs for a timely 17.
Marc Roberts contributed a valuable 14 runs, while Ben Hentschke remained unbeaten on 11, as the Bulldogs were bowled out in the 61st over for 154.
Walters, Gibbs and William Rowland all claimed three scalps each.
Mil Lel then headed into bat but their fortunes were little better than the hosts, ending the day at 4/42.
runs came from Rowland at the top of the order with 10, while Jack Miller remained unbeaten on 18 at stumps.
In a firey spell, Alex Hentschke claimed all four wickets, three clean bowled and one caught.
