Sport
15 October, 2024
Beaufort take statement win over last year’s A grade grand finalists at Clunes
Beaufort have made a stunning statement for the season ahead, dispatching Clunes by 35 runs at Bull Millgate Oval.
On a pitch that offered plenty for both batsmen and bowlers, Clunes won the toss and decided to give their new-look bowling lineup a bowl.
Having lost the experience of Ash Gunn and Jaxon Smyth, among others, it was Dylan Davies and Brad Stevenson who instead opened the bowling for the Magpies — the club trusting some of their A reserve depth which took out the premiership last year to step up.
That delivered an early wicket, with Davies bowling Beaufort’s new English recruit, Thomas Alexander, for five runs.
But newly-appointed captain Kriss Ellis and Thomas Grant soon got to work, and coupled with some bowling that was just off the mark — Clunes would eventually bowl 34 extras — the duo would put on 75 runs for the second wicket.
It would be Mark Allen who would strike for the second wicket, bowling Ellis for 35 to give Clunes a foothold.
That brought about the introduction of Lachlan Oddie, and the reigning Ken Gibbs Medallist wasted no time in helping the Crows zoom past 100.
Grant was next to go with the score on 119, with Harrison Blomeley striking, caught by Stevenson.
Oddie put together an enter-taining 28, which included a six and three fours, before Brett Coon struck to take his first wicket.
Coon’s introduction would help shape the remainder of the innings Clunes’ way.
He would soon have a second wicket when he was able to get Malcolm Woolley for 13, hitting a ball to Brad Stevenson, before Davies struck for his second wicket, combining with Coon to remove Joe Kingsbury for five.
Coon’s third wicket saw Ben Woolidge caught by Stevenson with the score on 176, while Davies also took three in a good return to the A grade lineup, bowling Ben Grant.
The innings finished on the final ball when Nick Stabbins’ well-rounded innings of 28 came to an end, with Stevenson taking his fourth catch of the innings, along with Coon’s fourth wicket.
Coon was the standout, taking 4/33 off his eight overs, while Davies took 3/29.
Defending 189, Beaufort still needed early wickets given the amount of scoring power the Magpies boasted in their top order, and it was Anthony Ellis and Davies opening.
The duo got off to a good start, putting 46 runs on the board before it was Kingsbury who struck for the Crows’ first wicket, catching Davies for 16 off his own bowling.
Anthony and new recruit Lucas Rais-Colvin set about getting more score on the board, and put together a 32-run partnership, but it was Alexander who struck with the ball to remove Anthony, caught by his namesake in Kriss.
Rais-Colvin and Brenton Jones combined to get the score past 100 for Clunes, but they did need to get a move on with their batting if they were hoping to get past the Crows’ total.
In the end, that wouldn’t eventuate, and it was Ben which would slow down the Magpies.
First, he would bowl Jones for 21, before shortly after claiming the wicket of Allen in similar fashion for two.
It was a bridge too far for Clunes when Rais-Colvin was dismissed for 34, bowled again by Ben.
Captain Mitch Coppick dropped down to six, but was unable to make headway into the total, despite going at almost a run a ball, scoring 19 before he was bowled by Jayden Scotland.
Josh Dunn was the final wicket, run out by Stabbins for one, as Clunes finished their 40 overs 35 runs short, with Brendan Ingram not out on seven and Stevenson unbeaten on one.
After a shaky start, Ben was the pick of the bowlers, taking 3/41 off eight overs, while Alexander (1/22) and Scotland (1/32) performed well in their first game.
Despite not taking a wicket, Oddie performed well in slowing down the Clunes batters, going at 11 runs from his eight overs, including three maidens.
The Crows now have the bye this week, while Clunes take on Colts Phelans in a big game.