Cricket
14 October, 2024
Eagles soar into HCA in style
Brim-KSH Eagles soared into the Horsham Cricket Association in style, defeating Noradjuha Toolondo Bullants by 39 runs at Brim Recreation Reserve on Saturday.
The Bullants won the toss and elected to bowl under sunny skies. They struck early, with Matthew Combe taking the wicket of Mark McPherson, who was caught by Anthony Cutter.
Isaac McPherson came to the crease, and he and Leigh Dovaston produced a steady 45-run partnership before McPherson was trapped in front for LBW by Heath Lang.
With the home side 2/57, Dovaston and Tim Bell put on an important 65-run partnership before Cutter caught Dovaston off the bowling of Justtin Combe.
The Eagles managed to put on another 70 runs with contributions from Tim Bell (48), Hudson McCredden (19), and Lachlan McGinnis (16) to finish at 9/192 from their 45 overs.
Recruit Tony Caccaviello was the pick of the bowlers for the Bullants with 3/30 (9).
In reply, it wasn't a good start for the Bullants. Jamie Byrne was dismissed for a duck off the bowling of Lachlan McGinniss, and when Matthew Combe fell for four off the bowling of Kobe Macgregor, they were 2/31.
Tony Caccaviello added 16 in a partnership with Justtin Combe before Jeremy Preston trapped him in front for LBW.
On 3/56, the Bullants responded with Combe and Troy Dumesny putting on a solid partnership. At 3/110, they were in the box seat, but then Charlie Dean took Combe's prized wicket for 66.
Dumesny and Garrett Liston tried to steady the ship, but when Liston fell for nine and Tim Crick for a duck, an over later, they were 6/131 and faced a tough task of chasing down the total.
Dumesny batted sensibly, but when he fell for 34, stumped by Mark McPherson off the bowling of Kobe Macgregor, the Bullants were 7/146, and the Eagles were in the box seat.
Tim Bell then took two of the next three wickets, with McGregor bowling Heath Lang to give the Eagles victory.
Mcgregor finished with figures of 4/24, with Tim Bell handy with 3/31.
Eagles captain Isaac McPherson said getting the runs on the board was the emphasis.
"I can't ask for a better start, and putting the runs on the board early helped, and then we were able to back it up with a good, disciplined bowling effort, which was good," McPherson said.
"What was really good is that Hudson McCredden was potentially going to open and then slotted in at seven as we have a strong middle order, and we bat right down to nine, which is important."
"As for our bowlers, Mcgregor and Bell were awesome, but McGinniss kept it tight and made it hard to score early on."
"That's how we aim to play our cricket: keeping sides to low totals as we are a bowling side."
McPherson said that Combe looked dangerous, and they had to change things up to try to force a mistake.
"Justtin is a quality batsman; both those Combe boys are, and we were happy to see the end of him, but he batted well, and it took pressure from everyone to do that.
"The run rate was creeping up, so we knew he had to up it, so we threw the fielders back and waited for him to make a mistake, and surprisingly, he did.
"We changed the bowling around here and there, and the plan worked."
Justtin Combe said they played well and deserved their victory, and it was good to see a new team in the competition hit the ground running.
"They played well and have good young cricketers, so they will go alright in this competition," Combe said.
"We had a couple of players out, but that doesn't take anything away from them. They were way better on the day."