Sport
11 March, 2025
Colts beat Crows in semi-final prelude
Colts Phelans have sent a message to their semi-final opponents, finishing their regular season on a high with a 68-run victory against Beaufort.
Resuming play at 0/4, Beaufort openers Kriss Ellis and Joshua Lofts were eager to get the Crows on the right foot, looking to chase down 244.
Nick Henderson was keen not to let that happen and he did just that, dismissing Lofts for eight after he was caught by Luke Tatchell behind the wickets.
Ellis was joined by Nicholas Cooper in the middle, who combined for a 171-run partnership against Clunes in Beaufort’s last fixture.
They looked poised to do the same against the Colts, combining for 50 runs with some consistent boundary hitting.
In desperate need of a breakthrough, the Colts looked to Ben Evans to turn things around. He didn’t disappoint, bowling the in-form Ellis for 24 to put the Crows at 2/67.
The always dangerous Lachlan Oddie was the next man in, who alongside Cooper added another 31 runs to the total before Evans struck again, this time knocking the castle of Oddie for seven.
Cooper and the new man at the crease Tom Alexander looked to advance the run chase and apply some pressure on the visitors, getting Beaufort into a reasonable position at 3/128.
However, it was Evans who once again got the breakthrough for the Colts when they needed it most.
First, he removed Alexander for 18 after he was given out LBW, then he quickly had a fourth wicket after some quick thinking from Tatchell stumped David Kiely for naught and suddenly the Crows found themselves in trouble at 5/128.
New batsman Joe Kingsbury was determined to be the anchor for Cooper, allowing him to be more aggressive.
It didn’t last long, as Charlie Scorer grabbed the massive wicket of Cooper, ending his wonderful innings at 78 when he was caught by Evans, who couldn’t keep himself out of the game.
That opened the floodgates for the Colts as Evans removed Thomas Grant for a duck after a nifty caught and bowled to put the Crows on the ropes at 7/149.
Kingsbury and Nick Stabbins provided some resistance to the barrage with a 15-run partnership, but Scorer kept knocking the doors down, removing Kingsbury for a well-made 22 after he was caught by captain Rhys Egan.
Max Jackson got in on the act for the Colts, grabbing the wicket of Blake Jantzen for one after he was given out LBW.
Tatchell and Scorer put the finishing touches on the Colts’ victory, with Scorer dismissing Stabbins for three when Tatchell claimed his second stumping of the day.
Despite being bowled out for 176 with Jayden Scotland not out on seven and Cooper top scoring with 78, the result was enough for Beaufort to remain in third, setting up a semi-final matchup with the Colts next weekend.
Evans was the difference maker for the Colts with the ball, grabbing 5/51 from 14 overs while Scorer’s 3/31 from 11.2 overs was also instrumental to the victory.