By Trevor Jackson
WEST GAMBIER 10/156 V MIL LEL 7/39
A HALF-CENTURY to Jake Blackwell in the middle order possibly saved the day for West Gambier, as the Roos hosted Mil Lel at Malseed Park.
A five-wicket haul to Mil Lel’s Thomas Smith and four scalps to Jack Miller limited West’s opportunities, with the Roos bowled out in the 45th over for 156.
Mil Lel won the toss and elected to bowl, which appeared to pay dividends.
For West, Justin deJong was out for 23, while fellow opener Nuwan Gunawardana contributed 15, both victims of Smith.
Miller then chimed in with the wicket of Jayden Prior for one, followed by Bray Stephenson for a duck.
Blackwell entered and settled the side, but the wickets began to fall around him.
He was eventually caught by Craig Hicks off the bowling of Miller, but Smith struck again, with the wicket of Sam Willis for eight, and Sujith Nikethana for a golden duck.
Sam Coxon helped the cause with 22-run stand off 76 deliveries, before he fell to a sharp caught-and-bowled to Mitchell Little.
Jack Geddes was sent back to the sidelines for nine and Bailey Rothall was bowled by Miller for a three-ball duck, with Shane deJong unbeaten on nine.
Smith’s efforts saw his five wickets come for just 31 runs from 10 overs, while Miller finished with figures of 4/44 off 10.5.
Mil Lel looked in an ideal position to push for first-innings points at least, but someone forgot to tell the Roos.
Mil Lel faced 32 overs before stumps in what was a tough time at the crease.
Seven wickets fell for just 39 runs as the Roos turned the game on its head.
Opener Jarrod Sanders was trapped lbw off the Bowling of Stephenson for a solitary run, while Nick Walters remained unbeaten at stumps with 11 to his name, but off a steady 87 deliveries.
Stephenson bowled William Rowland for a two-ball duck, while Little was lbw to Rothall for five off 40 deliveries.
Toby Grigg was run out by Sam Willis for four runs, while Ty Dinnison was caught-and-bowled by Nikethana, also for a duck.
Craig Hicks reached double figures before Nikathana had him caught for 12 runs and Oliver McCracken did not bother the scorers, caught by Shane deJong off the bowling of Justin deJong.
Rather than being in a solid position at stumps, Mil Lel was left to fight to stave off a first-innings defeat when play resumes on Saturday.
Nikethana and Stephenson claimed two wickets each.
