Sport
22 November, 2024
Clunes and Beaufort after key win
The second of the split round matches sees Clunes hosting Beaufort, with both teams in need of a crucial victory for differing reasons.
For the Magpies, a victory is an absolute must if they wish to stay in the frame for this season, currently sitting on the bottom of the ladder, winless and having scored the fewest runs and taken the fewest wickets.
Beaufort, on the other hand, have now dropped consecutive clashes to Laanecoorie Dunolly and Colts Phelans, and have dropped to third as a result of those two games.
Clunes were distinctly weakened against Laane two weeks ago, and struggled to a 194-run loss as a result, but there were still positives out of the performance.
Anthony Ellis was a rock at the top of the order, scoring 62 runs as he almost single-handedly allowed Clunes to make 103, with no other batter in the Magpies’ lineup scoring more than nine runs.
That allowed Ellis to move up to seventh in the competition for runs scored, now averaging a handy 34.3.
Should the Magpies get Mark Allen and Mitch Coppick back into the team this week, it will create a handy trio that has performed strongly with the bat this season — with Coppick’s unbeaten 54 and Allen’s 76 in their last start against Carisbrook three weeks ago helping Clunes make 233 runs.
In essence, this is quite an even matchup between both teams’ top order, with Beaufort’s big three to start the season putting up similar numbers.
Tom Grant is the leading run-scorer at the moment for the Crows, having put up 102 runs at a consistent average of 25.5, but after a multitude of scores in the 30s, he will be hoping this is the week he breaks through for a big score.
The Crows will also welcome back captain Kriss Ellis into the mix after missing their four-wicket loss to Colts Phelans two weeks ago, and coupled with Lachlan Oddie back among the runs with an unbeaten 60 against Colts Phelans, it means that the Crows also have three big-name batsmen averaging above 30.
It appears at this early stage of the season that where Beaufort could perhaps spring a second win on Clunes’ home deck at Bull Millgate Oval is in their bowling stocks.
The Crows boast three bowlers who have taken six wickets or more this season, whereas Clunes currently only have one.
Thomas Alexander has proven to be a handy acquisition for the Crows, and while he hasn’t quite broken through for a big score at the top of the order, it’s his work with the ball which is proving to trouble opponents.
Alexander currently has seven wickets at an average of 16.7 and a run rate of just 3.8.
Coupled with Jayden Scotland, who has done a sound job with both bat (averaging 31 as a lower-order hitter) and ball (seven wickets at 18.4), the duo have helped add to a bowling mix which has also seen Ben Grant and Oddie continue to thrive.
An exciting plot story to come out of this weekend will be how two of the young stars of the competition thrive with the ball, with Grant and his Magpies counterpart, Brett Coon, looking for key wickets.
Both youngsters’ stats are very similar, with Grant averaging 20.3 from his six wickets, while Coon averages 23.5 with his six-wicket haul.
It appears there will be a steady return of support for Coon as the season goes on, with Noah Davies taking two wickets in a welcome return two weeks ago, while Brad Stevenson has bowled consistently this season, conceding just 2.9 runs per over and averaging 23 after a haul of 2/31 from eight overs against Laane.
Round one was the last meeting between the two clubs, with Beaufort taking a 35-run victory.