Sport
14 March, 2024
Clunes and Colts seek grand final spot
Clunes and Colts Phelans have been excellent two-day teams this year, and have been rewarded with a semi-final clash at Bull Millgate Oval. While Clunes have been one of the inform teams all season long, and have always been around the mark, the...
Clunes and Colts Phelans have been excellent two-day teams this year, and have been rewarded with a semi-final clash at Bull Millgate Oval.
While Clunes have been one of the inform teams all season long, and have always been around the mark, the season has been quite the turnaround for Colts, who struggled in the early portion of the year before scoring three victories and eventually, going through the two-day campaign unbeaten.
There has been an element of luck along the way for Colts in that unbeaten two-day campaign, with the games against Clunes and Laanecoorie Dunolly called off going into their second day with Colts on the back foot, but regardless, their form beforehand was deserving of a spot in the finals.
Clunes form with both bat and ball have seen them improve greatly this year after sneaking into the finals last season.
They have shored up their batting, with captain Mitch Coppick getting a full season and scoring 449 runs, and Mark Allen has been in excellent form of late, scoring 244 runs.
Lachlan Morganti has provided good numbers with both the bat and the ball this season, adding 214 runs, while taking 21 wickets, while Jude McGuire has continued to establish himself as one of the best wicketkeepers in the competition, scoring 183 runs, as well as taking 12 catches behind the stumps this season.
Last time they met, Clunes had the advantage, scoring 307 runs, led by Coppick’s superb unbeaten 109, while Allen’s 76 and Morganti’s 50 provided good support.
However, with the bushfires raging around Beaufort, the round was called off, robbing us of the potential of what Colts would have done in their chase.
It was also a chance for Clunes’ bowlers to continue on their good form as well, particularly given Morganti’s efforts, as well as Jaxon Smyth (19 wickets), who have led the line admirably for the Magpies this season.
It’s been a season of growth for what has been a different-looking Colts team, one that is rather young, but one which has also been led by their experienced campaigners.
With the ball, Dayne Baker has led the charge, with the Colts captain snatching the leading wicket-taking numbers right at the death, taking 27 wickets for the season in what’s been a stunning campaign.
Baker, as well as Nick Henderson, who has also taken 20 wickets, have proven to be ironmen throughout the season, combining for an incredible 261 overs of toiling hard.
They’ll need to be on their game this weekend, as well as Dave Robinson (13 wickets).
With the bat, a lot could hinge on Rhys Wagstaff’s bat. Wagstaff has provided 347 runs for the season in what’s been another good campaign, picking up from where he left off in the two-day portion of last season, which included, crucially, a century against Clunes in their last two-day batting innings.
Both he and Robinson (260 runs) will be the big wickets for Clunes, while Luke Tatchell (169), Rhys Egan (146) and Baker (140) will also need to get among the runs if Colts are to back up their grand final appearance from last season.