Sport
5 December, 2022
Owls return to their nest with big victory
Maryborough continued to establish themselves as a contender in all facets of cricket this season following a strong seven-wicket victory over Beaufort at Princes Park. The Owls made a spectacular start to proceedings on Saturday afternoon when they...
Maryborough continued to establish themselves as a contender in all facets of cricket this season following a strong seven-wicket victory over Beaufort at Princes Park.
The Owls made a spectacular start to proceedings on Saturday afternoon when they were able to reduce the Crows to 4/25 early on, with Harry Lumsden finding the edge off Kriss Ellis for the first wicket, before Martin Dell did some damage, taking the wickets of Joshua Lofts and Crows’ danger man Nicholas Cushing. Inbetween, Liam Maffescioni got in on the action, clean bowling Blake Jantzen.
Much of the Crows’ attempted fightback came at the hands of Lachlan Oddie, who continued to fight against the tide for Beaufort. He would eventually top score with 35, but he would also spark a Crows batting collapse when he was removed, bowled by Rohan MacKay.
The Crows then lost their final five wickets for just eight runs, and would eventually be dismissed for 86 off 32.4 overs.
Zac McLeod would do most of the damage in the back end of the Crows’ innings, eventually finishing with 4/14, while Dell bowled well for his 2/15. Maffescioni was super economical for his 2/12 off seven overs.
Beaufort desperately needed to start well with ball in hand and it looked like they would get their wish when Joel Pymer trapped Ben Kick in front for lbw, and when Ben Hoban was run out by Ellis, it left the Owls 2/10.
But Mitch McClure and Dell set about ensuring that the Owls would continue to have control of the game, with both players putting on a 47-run partnership, which was ended when McClure was caught and bowled off the bowling of Oddie, dismissed for 24.
However, Dell and Lumsden were able to finish the job, with Dell adding to his good bowling figures by finishing 26 not out, while Lumsden finished on 20 not out, with the Owls successfully chasing down the Crows’ 86 within 20 overs.
Oddie was the Crows’ best bowler, taking 1/15 off five overs, while Pymer, their other wicket taker, took 1/19.
Beaufort will now have to bide their time until early January for a return to cricket, with their scheduled one-day bye next week, while Maryborough will play off for a spot in the one-day final against Colts Phelans.
