Sport
30 January, 2023
Century to remember from Mitch McClure gives Owls points
MARYBOROUGH 4/260 def CLUNES 193 and 3/31 Mitch McClure duly delivered a devastating innings of class and quality to help guide Maryborough to victory on Saturday afternoon. Needing a further 192 runs after losing a late wicket on the first day, the...
MARYBOROUGH 4/260 def CLUNES 193 and 3/31
Mitch McClure duly delivered a devastating innings of class and quality to help guide Maryborough to victory on Saturday afternoon.
Needing a further 192 runs after losing a late wicket on the first day, the Owls, led superbly by McClure, would easily surpass the Magpies’ total, before trying, but ultimately failing, to claim an outright victory.
Starting the afternoon at 1/2, it was up to McClure (one not out) and Harry Lumsden (scoreless) to put on a big partnership to get the Owls in the game.
Both batsmen ultimately delivered when they needed it most, with McClure playing an aggressive innings, which included 20 fours and one six, while Lumsden played a more defensive game, yet had his best outing with the bat for the season so far, finishing with 37 runs.
Whatever Clunes’ bowlers were delivering, McClure was able to dispatch to all parts of Princes Park.
The Owls were able to score at a brisk rate throughout the early afternoon, with Lumsden and McClure’s 138-run partnership lasting until just before tea, with Lumsden bowled by Jaxon Smyth.
McClure soon brought up his century in the first over following tea, a classic cut shot to the boundary allowing him to revel in the celebrations of his third century, and second in A grade for the Owls.
His final score of 132 off as many balls surpassed his previous best A grade score of 112, which was scored against Colts Phelans in round 10 of the 2019/20 season, and fell just short of his best of 133 which was scored in the 16 and under grade in 2014/15 against Carisbrook.
When McClure eventually fell, the Owls were 33 runs ahead, and Sam Bartlett was tasked with getting the Owls a score which they could defend in the case of looking for an outright victory.
Bartlett delivered, scoring 57 runs off just 34 deliveries, and when he holed out to Mitchell Coppick offthe bowling of Riley Coppick, the Owls declared the innings on 4/260 to give themselves 20 overs to try and secure an outright victory.
In tough conditions for the Magpies, Ashley Gunn returned their best figures of 1/1 off one over, with the Magpies trying nine different bowlers to no avail against the Owls’ dynamite knock.
The Owls would get the perfect start when Harry Lumsden found the edge of Jaxon Smyth’s bat to Todd Doran to set up an exciting finish.
However, Anthony Ellis held out for many overs, scoring 14 runs before being trapped LBW by Bartlett.
There was a small hint of nerves late in the piece when Noah Davies was bowled by Lachlan Morganti, but the Magpies batted out the remaining overs to limit the damage to just first innings points, concluding the day at 3/31.
Morganti returned figures of 1/3 off four overs, while Bartlett finished on 1/6.
Both teams now face tough assignments in round 13, with Maryborough making the short trip to face Colts Phelans at Hedges Oval, while Clunes have the task of trying to inflict Laanecoorie Dunolly’s first loss of the season at Bull Millgate Oval.
