Cricket
18 November, 2024
Demons defeat Saints in thriller
Laharum survived a scare, defeating the Saints by two runs in a thriller at Coughlin Park in the Horsham Cricket Association's A-grade competition. In other matches, West Wimmera, Bullants, and Lubeck Murtoa won.
The Saints' bowling was hot early, with Mark Crafter, Jono Carroll and Pradesh Venu Kudililparambil having Laharum reeling at 6/37.
Jackson Hoffmann, with an unbeaten 38, guided the Demons to 87. Josh Mahoney was the other to score double figures for the Demons.
Crafter, 3/17 (9) and Nick Gardiner, 3/6 (6) were excellent with the ball for the Saints.
In reply, Josh Mahoney struck early, dismissing Mark Crafter and Jono Carroll for ducks to have the Saints 2/4.
Jim McInnes joined in on the action and, with Mahoney, bowled well to have the Saints at 6/40.
Gary Davidson and Kudililparambil put on a solid 22-run partnership, and when Davidson was out for 18, off the bowling of Max Bunworth, the Saints were 8/68.
Needing a further 20 runs for victory, Kudililparambil stayed at the crease, but Max Bunworth ensured the Demons would win, taking the last two wickets, leaving Kudililparambil stranded on 18, and giving Laharum a two-run win.
Bunworth, 3/15 (6.4), and Josh Mahoney, 3/21 (9), were the pick of the Laharum bowlers.
At Davis Park in Nhill, West Wimmera made a statement, cruising to a seven-wicket victory over the Homers.
After winning the toss and bowling, they bowled the Homers out for 95, with Jeremy Weeks taking 3/24 (7.2). Chaminda Gamage was the top scorer for the Homers with 30.
In response, Mitchell Dahlenburg's unbeaten 48 guided the Warriors home in the 26th over, finishing on 3/98.
At Murtoa Recreation Reserve, Lubeck Murtoa defeated the Horsham Tigers by 18 runs.
After losing the toss and being sent into bat, the Mudlarks made 8/166, with Thomas Barrand scoring 64 and Connor Weidemann making his A-grade season debut with 46. Dom Rose was the Tigers best bowler with 2/27 (9).
In response, a blistering spell by Nic Ballagh, who took three wickets, had the Tigers in trouble.
Form batsman in the competition, Angus Adams, came to the crease and slowly worked his way into the match, but Blake Downer got involved and took another two wickets to have the Tigers five down.
Martyn Knight showed resistance for the Tigers, building a solid partnership with Adams, but when he fell to the bowling of Shannon Reddie, the Tigers ran out of overs, finishing at 9/148. Adams was unbeaten with 64.
Ballagh finished with 3/14 (9) with four maidens.
At Horsham City Oval, the Bullants won their second consecutive match, defeating the Colts by 57 runs.
After winning the toss and batting, the Bullants were bowled out for 184 after 36 overs, with Matthew Combe top-scoring with 45. Joey Nagorcka took 4/42 (9) for the Colts, claiming the prized wickets of Justtin Combe and Troy Dumesny in the process.
Despite Josh Colbert scoring 50, the Colts couldn't find an answer to the Bullants strong bowling led by Angus Slatter and Justtin Combe, both taking three wickets as they bowled them out for 127 in the 35th over. Slatter finished with 3/13 (5) and Combe, 3/11 (7).