Sport
18 February, 2025
Graham’s seven reduces Colts to 181
It was seven heaven for Laanecoorie Dunolly’s Zach Graham at Hedges Oval, collecting seven wickets to limit Colts Phelans’ innings total to 181.
The Colts won the toss and elected to bat first, giving openers Rhys Wagstaff and Wayne Stubbings a chance to build into their innings without the pressure of a run chase.
The pair took advantage with an opening stand of 46 before Daniel Romeo grabbed the first wicket, dismissing Stubbings for 19 after he was caught by Joe Lovel.
New batsman Charlie Scorer ensured Laane couldn’t build any momentum from that opening breakthrough, combining with Wagstaff to keep the runs ticking over.
They would add another 32 to the total before Kamaljot Romana trapped Wagstaff, who was given out LBW just short of his 50.
Max Jackson would join Scorer in the middle to try and get Colts into the driver’s seat, but fellow Englishman Alex Cook crashed into those plans when he dismissed Scorer for 20, caught by Romana.
Another Englishman entered the game, as Regan Goundry partnered with Max Jackson to solidify the Colts’ innings.
With the score at 3/142, the hosts looked primed to make a strong total for Laane to chase down.
Then, all of a sudden, the game turned into the Zach Graham show.
His first victim was Goundry, caught by Sam Bartlett after he made 24.
Soon after he got his second, collecting the big wicket of Jackson after he was caught by Romana for 30.
Nothing seemed to be stopping Graham now, adding Ben Evans to his victim list for a duck as he was caught by wicketkeeper Tom Hannett.
Rhys Egan was powerless to stop the onslaught, bowled by Graham for four, and as swiftly as they were 3/142, the Colts had lost their last three wickets for one run and were shell-shocked at 7/152.
Thrust into the game much sooner than they expected, Harrison Kurzke and Dayne Baker’s concentrated 20-run partnership helped stem the bleeding and added important runs to the total.
No prizes for guessing who brought the partnership to an end, as Graham was at it again, removing Baker for 15 off a caught and bowled for his fifth wicket.
Graham would make quick work of the Colts’ tail, dismissing Kurzke when he was caught by Romana for 12 for his sixth wicket, and grabbing his seventh when Nick Henderson was caught by Matt Smith for naught.
Graham’s 7/49 off 20 overs are the best figures of the season, edging out Cook’s 6/7 against the Colts in round three.
Despite the performances of Graham, the Colts were able to muster a defendable total, thanks in large part to the high score of Wagstaff with 46 and key contributions from the three Englishmen: Jackson, Goundry and Scorer.