By Lachlan Onions
PENOLA 10/78 v NORTH SPORTSMAN’S 4/110
PENOLA was left shell-shocked on Saturday as North Sportsman’s ripped through the Eagles batting line-up on Day 1 of their Barber Shield clash at McCorquindale Park.
The hosts went into the contest as favourites but will now have all the work to do on Day 2 as the Tigers hold a 32-run lead with six wickets in hand.
After winning the toss and choosing to bat, Penola’s openers Lewis March and Jack Mullan survived the first eight overs where the new ball was at its most dangerous.
However, Isaac Mulraney turned the contest on its head the following over.
With his first ball of his fifth over, Mulraney steamed in once again and drew Mullan forward to find the opener’s outside edge.
The chance was held comfortably by Nick McInerney in the slips cordon and Mullan departed after adding 10 runs to his side’s cause.
Jack Schulz then made his way to the crease and had a moment he would rather forget.
They say in cricket there are only two types of leaves: the good ones and the bad ones.
Schulz’s leave off his first ball of the innings was one which fell into the latter category.
He was left in dismay after he shouldered his arms and watched the ball cannon into the top of his off-stump – which was sent flying out of the ground.
In the blink of an eye, the hosts went from 0/20 to 2/20 and the pressure was on Mark Smith as he made his way out to face a raring Mulraney who found himself on a hat-trick.
However, unlike his two earlier deliveries, the hat-trick ball went down the leg side and as a result, Smith survived.
March and Smith then fought back and the contest seemed to be in the balance as the Eagles made it to 2/50.
However, North hit back, this time through McInerney, who dismissed Smith for 19 runs in the 23rd over.
Despite the loss of the third wicket, the Eagles still had the chance to set a defendable total as their leading run-scorer, Drew Clayfield, was next to come in.
However, North’s bowlers were unfazed by the threat and Elliott Fisher dismissed Clayfield for a duck to end the 26th over.
Then, with the first ball of the 27th over, McInerney struck again to send March on his way after scoring 18 runs from 73 balls.
It went form bad to worse for the Eagles, as Eli Hunter departed for a duck to end the 28th over and Penola was 6/53, after being 2/50 just five overs earlier.
Michael Waters put up a fight in the lower-order as he scored 19 from 40 balls but it was all in vain as the hosts were bowled out for 78 runs.
Mulraney and Fisher were the best of the bowlers as the pair took four wickets each, while McInerney took 2/14 off his 10 overs.
Penola started strongly in response as Waters dismissed Matthew Robinson for just one run in the third over of the second innings.
Josh Doyle then dismissed Nicolas Brown in the eighth over after he added 17 runs to make it 2/22.
However, McInerney and Elliott Fisher returned to haunt Penola with the bat and thwarted the hosts’ momentum as they combined for a 61-run third wicket partnership before the latter departed for 25 runs.
Harry Fisher was next to go as he was dismissed by Smith for four runs before Mulraney and McInerney made it through the final six overs to make it to stumps at 4/110.
McInerney was in fine form with the bat and will resume on Saturday at 56 not out, while Mulraney added just one run off 16 balls before the close of play.
Smith was the best of the bowlers for Penola on Day 1 and ended with figures of 2/19.
