Sport
16 October, 2023
Devastating Davies leaves Beaufort in tatters in Magpies win
CLUNES 6/126 def BEAUFORT 9/74 Clunes flexed their muscle in disposing of Beaufort by 52 runs, recording the highest score with the bat thus far this season. The game was moved to Mr Mobility Oval, with Beaufort winning the toss and electing to...
CLUNES 6/126 def BEAUFORT 9/74
Clunes flexed their muscle in disposing of Beaufort by 52 runs, recording the highest score with the bat thus far this season.
The game was moved to Mr Mobility Oval, with Beaufort winning the toss and electing to bowl.
However, Clunes came out and immediately set about putting down a marker for the Crows to chase, with Brenton Jones and Mark Allen combining well at the top of the order.
The pair were able to put on 46 for the first wicket before Allen was the first to go, with Crows’ new recruit Joe Kingsbury able to take his first wicket when he lured Allen into playing a shot straight to Charlie Dyer for 14.
Jones was next to go shortly after, when he was clean bowled by Lachlan Oddie for a well-made 27 runs.
Lachlan Morganti and Mitch Coppick were in and were able to add some critical runs in, combining for 26 before Jay English took the first of his four wickets of the innings, bowling Morganti for 15.
Coppick and Josh Dunn combined for a 16-run partnership, before English’s second dismissal was identical to his first in removing Coppick for 21.
It looked like English was changing the course of the game, soon after removing Josh Dunn for four, before leaving Fred Penhall out of his crease and stumped by Craig Grant for a golden duck.
Noah Davies came on late in the piece and provided some critical late hitting for Clunes in an entertaining cameo, hitting three fours and two sixes to make 29 off just 14 deliveries as the Magpies were able to make 6/126 off their 20 overs.
Beaufort needed to make runs quick in order to be a chance right from the start of their innings, but Ash Gunn had other ideas, luring Blake Jantzen into edging a delivery straight to Penhall for the first wicket, with the Crows yet to score.
Grant and Oddie were tasked with the job of ensuring that the Crows were still a chance, but Grant, looking to make runs, mishit a Jaxon Smyth delivery straight into the waiting arms of Brett Coon to make it 2/7.
Soon after, it was Davies’ turn to make an impact with the ball, snaring the wickets of both Shannon Brown and English, both for ducks, as Beaufort were suddenly 4/11 and in trouble.
It wasn’t getting any better for the Crows when Coon came on and took a wicket with just his second delivery in A grade cricket, with the youngster luring Oddie into edging a ball straight to Penhall for one.
When Davies took his third wicket, removing Kingsbury for four, the Crows were 6/17 and it was virtually game over.
Coon returned to the fold and took his second wicket of the day when he was able to remove Zachery Dally for two, with Davies staying well and truly in the game with a catch.
Jack Smith and Richard Stokes were able to score some late runs for Beaufort as they looked to salvage as much as they could for the Crows, putting on 27 before Muhammad Shehzad got in on the action, luring Stokes into a shot straight to Allen.
Shehzad had a second wicket not long after, with Davies completing an excellent personal game with a second catch in removing Smith for 25.
Charlie Dyer and Harrison Jones saw out the remaining overs, with Dyer unbeaten on 10 and Jones finishing on six, with Beaufort finishing on 9/74.
Clunes will now play Carisbrook in an important weekend for the Magpies and their grand final hopes, while Beaufort will be out to bounce back against Colts Phelans.