Sport
6 March, 2023
Biggest twist yet? Colts bowl Laane out for 106
It was a drama-filled day at True Blue Floors Oval on Saturday afternoon as a sensational bowling performance from Colts Phelans left them in the box seat to end Laanecoorie Dunolly’s incredible 30-game unbeaten run, and take the minor premiership...
It was a drama-filled day at True Blue Floors Oval on Saturday afternoon as a sensational bowling performance from Colts Phelans left them in the box seat to end Laanecoorie Dunolly’s incredible 30-game unbeaten run, and take the minor premiership in the process.
Colts won the toss and bravely elected to send Laane in to bat, trusting their bowlers to take early wickets, much like they were able to in the one-day grand final at the same ground.
However, this time around, Colts were able to maintain their bowling form throughout the afternoon, restricting Laane to their lowest two-day score since round nine of the 2018/19 season, where they were bowled out for 72 by MKM.
Nicholas Henderson got Colts off to the perfect start, bowling Liam Mottram for a duck, and not long after, he maintained their good start by taking the wicket of Damith Perera, who hit a ball straight to Rhys Egan.
Tom Hannett and Samit Gohil were left to pick up the pieces for Laane, but Hannett was next to fall. Sensing the opportunity for wickets, Colts quickly decided to bring on Richard Clark, and he immediately delivered, with Hannett hitting a ball straight to Jackson Gordon.
Gohil and Ben Gunn was the key partnership of the early stages. They were able to put on 19 runs, but Clark struck for perhaps the most important wicket of the game, and the minor premiership race, when he lured Gohil into playing a shot straight to Rhys Wagstaff for 22 — his lowest score of the 2022/23 season to this point.
At 4/35, Matt Smith and Gunn needed to maintain a partnership to give Laane a fighting chance. Again, they were able to get a start to the partnership, but were unable to sustain it, with Smith next to fall, caught by Matt Scott off Clark’s bowling for his third wicket.
Henderson soon had his third of the game when Gunn edged a ball straight to Luke Tatchell to leave Laane reeling on 6/62.
Laane desperately needed their tail to wag, but Wayne Stubbings brought himself on to deal some damage in the lower order. First, he was able to get Daniel Romeo to play a shot straight to Scott for his second catch, before soon getting the wicket of Joe Lovel when he hit a ball straight to Stubbings’ son, Ben.
After some resistance from James Shorney, who made 15, Wayne clean bowled him to leave Laane on 9/94, before he finished off the innings by getting the wicket of Jarred Russell, who hit one straight to Ed Foreman to end Laane’s innings on 106after 47 wild overs.
The returning Brady Williams provided some good resistance with the bat, finishing not out on 19.
Wayne was superb from his seven overs, finishing with 4/22, while Henderson (3/31 off 15) and Clark (3/30 off 11) were outstanding when push came to shove in the early stages.
But as the old adage goes, the game would have a clearer view when it came time for Colts to bat on the pitch.
As it transpired, Colts proved that it was a wicket that was tricky to generate quick runs on. As a result, they took their time in the final 28 overs of the day, determined not to collapse and provide Laane with a route back into the game.
Wayne and Wagstaff put on 16 for the first wicket before Wagstaff fell, bowled by Gunn. Foreman joined Wayne at the crease, and the two would put on 14 together before Wayne was next to fall, bowled by Gohil for 17.
After 28 overs, Colts finished the day 2/34, barely going at above a run an over, but crucially, keeping eight wickets in hand for day two next Saturday.
Gunn kept up his excellent bowling for the season, barely giving an inch, taking 1/6 off his seven overs, which included five maidens. Gohil may prove to be an important factor with the ball on day two, taking 1/3 off three overs, while bowling two maidens.
Day two will resume with Foreman, the key batsman for Colts, currently on 10, while Clark is yet to get off the mark.