Sport
10 February, 2026
Shaikh’s hundred places Laane in drivers seat
A stunning hundred from Nafis Shaikh was the exclamation point on an arguably perfect first day for Laanecoorie Dunolly, setting a daunting target of 323 for Maryborough to chase down.
Shaikh was integral to two excellent partnerships alongside Sam Bartlett and Josh Fitzpatrick that stunted Maryborough’s pro-mising start and placed them in an upward battle despite destructive late spells from Elliot Ashburn and Ben Hoban.
Laane’s captain Tom Hannett won the toss and elected to send himself and Tom Hart in to bat first at Princes Park.
Their partnership would be short-lived, as Ashburn scored the prized wicket of Hannett for six thanks to a Martin Dell catch.
That brought Shaikh into the middle, who entered the game amidst a mini slump since returning from the holiday break, scoring naught and seven in his last two knocks.
While Shaikh settled into his innings, the ever expansive Hart remained potent with seven boundaries before he was sent packing for 34, guiding a Tate Williams delivery to Troy Bursill behind the stumps.
The Owls’ feathers were fluttering with Laane at 2/44, keen to grab another quick wicket when Shaikh was joined by Bartlett, who was promoted up the lineup after scoring an unbeaten 50 in Laane’s most recent win against Clunes.
The left-hand, right-hand combo of Shaikh and Bartlett carved shots to all areas of Princes Park, slowly ensuring the visitors wrestled control of the contest.
Dell was bowling with elite consistency for the Owls, but he nor the rest of Maryborough’s bowling attack could find the solution to crack the ever threatening problem.
Just as the partnership began to drain all of Maryborough’s optimism, Oliver Bennett produced a moment of magic the hosts desperately needed, running out Bartlett for 46 to bring an abrupt end to the 107-run partnership.
That excitement dissipated as quickly as it arrived for the Owls, as Fitzpatrick picked up where Shaikh and Bartlett left off.
The international stars masterfully constructed another back-breaking partnership to Maryborough’s ambitions, routinely searching for runs between the wickets and ruthlessly dispatching numerous balls to the fence.
With Laane now 3/226 and plenty of overs in hand, it looked as though the sky was the limit for what the visitors could reach.
Then suddenly, an unlikely source provided some solace for the Owls, as Alex Burrow suckered Fitzpatrick to gift a golden catching opportunity to Williams, who accepted without hesitation.
With Fitzpatrick dismissed for 45, Matt Smith entered the game hoping to cement Laane’s dominant position and help Shaikh reach his maiden hundred in Laane colours.
The new duo would add 31 runs to the total before Ashburn removed Smith for 20, with Bursill taking his second catch of the innings.
The next man in Amar Ullah ensured Shaikh reached his century before becoming Ashburn’s third victim, caught by Hoban for one.
Shaikh joined Ullah back in the pavilion shortly after reaching triple digits, gone for 107 after hitting a Hoban ball to Bennett.
After Laane lost their previous three wickets for 16 runs, the pairing of Alex Cook and Joe Lovel provided some late scoring for the visitors.
That came to an end when Lovel was trapped for an LBW dismissal by Hoban after scoring 16.
After a late flourish from Cook, who finished unbeaten on 25, Hoban cleaned up the last two wickets, removing Will Chamings for eight thanks to another Bennett catch and bowling Lachie Condie for one to have Laane all out for 323.
Hoban’s wickets at the death gave him figures more representative of his efforts throughout the tough innings for Maryborough, finishing with 4/71.
Ashburn was a valuable workhorse with 3/76 from 23 overs, while Dell produced some exceptional overs with five of his eight overs finishing with maidens.