SEASON 2021-22 ROUND ELEVEN
FEBRUARY 6, 2022
DIVISION ONE
OLD SCOTCH CC 209 (40)
def. OLD HAILEYBURY 9/201 (40)
Dawborn 73, Hays 3/34
Old Scotch First XI ventured down to Keysborough on Sunday, for a big top-4 clash with a strong looking Haileybury side. Asked to bat on a thatchy looking surface, OSCC were under immediate pressure, which hasn’t been a regular occurance, with Nick Sparks and Sam Shearer quickly dismissed with the score under 10. Mike Sparks and Sam Dawborn dug in and attempted to rebuild the innings, with a solid and hard-working partnership. After M Sparks fell, there was a flurry of middle order wickets, seeing the boys in serious strife at 6-77. Through the carnage, a stout and stubborn Dawborn refused to give in and seriously stuck his head down for the boys. His first 20 runs took 70 balls, on a difficult surface to score on, but there were fireworks to come…
Will Clark joined Dawborn at the fall of the sixth wicket and showed some of his often (self) discussed batting talent, bombing two deliveries in a row over the pickets and injecting some serious life into the OSCC innings. It was a quick, but productive partnership and Will Hays and Harrison Goad took off where Clark left it - also depositing balls to and over the fence at will. The star of the show was without a doubt Dawborn, who added a further 53 runs off his next 30 balls, and carried the side to a very competitive score of 209. It was a big return to form for the classy left hander and genuinely one of the gutsier innings you’ll see.
With a strong score on the board and lots of momentum from an amazing fightback with the bat, the boys were confident of defending the runs on the board. Haileybury did however have a very strong looking batting unit on paper, with a number of District names, and it promised to be a good test. Hays and Goad managed to breakthrough early, before Opanayaka and Singh took control and led Haileybury to 2/90 at drinks and well in control. In the theme of the day, Just before and following drinks, the Scotch boys managed to wrestle the game back a touch, led by S Shearer and Clark, before Will Bonwick was able to pry the prized scalp of Singh stumped by contingency keeper Nick Shearer. It was a big moment in the game and brought it back closer to even. Opanayaka was playing a gem of an innings at the other end and Haileybury always looked like the winners with him at the crease, despite the fairly regular loss of wickets at the other end. He fell in the second last over, with 10 runs needed, and left the Haileybury tailenders 10 to make off the final over. Captain Shearer took the ball and conceded only two runs, to confirm a fantastic result and fighting performance for the OSCC boys.
Credit again to Sammy Dawborn, who was the star of the day. This week sees another tough fixture with an in-form Melbourne High side back on the Meares Oval.
DIVISION TWO
OLD SCOTCH CC 8/156 (34)
def. OLD XAVERIANS 154 (38.2)
H Tilbrook 48, G Bennett 3/14
The 2s travelled to Xavier looking to continue their post-Christmas winning streak albeit without their fearless leader John Stavris. John was immediately missed as stand-in skipper Tom Edney lost the toss to John’s bunny and Old Xavs elected to bat on a pitch which looked to offer a bit for both bat and ball.
Gary Bennett (3/14) and Will Meggitt made the most of the new ball to collect the first 4 wickets all LBW. Tidy bowling and great energy in the field kept Xavier on the back foot although the absence of Stavris was proving a problem as his bunny approached 50. Jim Halse (3/24) stepped up to take 3 quick wickets, including the big breakthrough, to have Xavier in trouble at 7/72 at drinks. Post drinks, the Xavier lower order batted with greater intent as the ball softened and the pitch flattened out. Some handy cameos took them to a competitive 154 as they were eventually bowled out in the 39th over.
With 155 required to win, President Mark Griffiths and Charlie Schilling got the side off to a fast start, scoring 34 after 4 overs before the Pres was bowled by a beauty. Mitch Sennitt and Cam Melville got starts but regular Xavier wickets had the game quite evenly poised at 4/77 at drinks. But in typical 2s fashion, 3 quick wickets fell after drinks and with the score at 7/91, victory appeared to be slipping out of reach.
The pressure was well and truly on as Jim Halse strode out to the middle to face a hat trick ball and join Hayden Tilbrook at the crease. After absorbing the initial pressure, Jim and Dos got to work targeting the bad balls and produced a brilliant counter-attacking 52 run partnership before Halse (28) fell with just 12 required to win. Tilbrook (48*) finished the job and fell just short of a deserved half century as Old Scotch chased the runs in 34 overs.
Another great win keeps the 2s just a point behind Melbourne High on the ladder ahead of next weekend's Top of the Table clash on the Melville.
DIVISION THREE
OLD SCOTCH CC 8/151 (40)
def. by POINT COOK 5/220 (40)
J Lloyd 43, D Polmear 2/26
Match report coming soon...