Sport
14 January, 2025
Colts in the driver’s seat against Clunes
Colts Phelans will need an extra 30 runs to take first-inning points when play resumes on Saturday after they bowled out Clunes for 140.
Colts Phelans sent the Magpies into bat after winning the toss and that decision paid strong dividends quickly as Max Jackson managed to dismiss both openers.
Lucas Rais-Colvin was first to go, caught at slip by Rhys Egan for five and he was soon followed by Mark Jenkin, bowled by Jackson after making 11.
New batsmen Jude McGuire and Fred Penhall were able to stem the tide for Clunes, halting Colts momentum with a 50-run stand to bring the Magpies to 3/71.
It was Ben Evans who managed to break up the partnership after Penhall was caught for 22 by Jonathan Melton off his bowling.
Brendan Ingram did a good job supporting McGuire at the crease, with their 18-run partnership getting the Magpies close to the 100 mark.
That is when a Jackson trifecta changed the game in the host’s favour.
First, he hit the stumps of McGuire, preventing him from making a bigger score than 38 which he looked in form to do.
Next to go was Ingram for 15, with a ball by Jackson caught by Dayne Baker.
Jackson’s last victim was a fill-in player, bowled for a duck and giving him a five-wicket haul.
Evans decided to join in the fun with the ball, dismissing Brett Coon for one after he was caught behind the wicket by Luke Tatchell and bowling Thomas Hardy after he didn’t trouble the scorers.
That 5/18 collapse left Clunes at 8/107, needing the tail to wag a little to bring more runs.
Dylan Davies and Brad Stevenson were the men for the job, combining for 33 runs to get the total up to 140.
That’s as high as the Magpies would soar with the bat, as Nick Henderson took the last two wickets, bowling Stevenson after a hard-made 11 and doing the same to Jaxon Coon for naught.
Davies was left stranded with 30 not out as Clunes finished with 140.
Jackson could hold his head, and the ball aloft after taking 5/49, with his efforts well supported by fellow wicket-takers Evans (3/38) and Henderson (2/13).
Clunes were keen to make a strong start with the ball, needing one of their bowlers to take wickets early and bring the game to Colts.
That man for the Magpies was Stevenson who removed both openers just like Jackson in Clunes innings.
He first knocked over Egan, bowled for six, and then followed that up by removing Rhys Wagstaff who couldn’t convert his strong start after he was caught by Penhall for 21.
With Colts now 2/37, Charlie Scorer and Jackson were looking to replicate their performance last week, with their 143-run partner-ship icing the game against Carisbrook.
Jaxon Coon made sure that didn’t happen for the Magpies sake, claiming the wicket of Scorer after the Englishman hit a ball straight to Hardy.
Regan Goundry was the next man at the crease for Colts, who alongside Jackson was able to navigate the rest of the day’s play, leaving Colts at 3/111.
Goundry and Jackson will commence their 49-run partnership with Goundry on 15 and Jackson on 40.
Stevenson has been the pick of the bowlers for Clunes with figures of 2/29 off nine overs, as he and Jaxon Coon (1/22) were the two wicket-takers for Clunes.