Anglesea reigns supreme in top-of-the-table clash | BPCA, GCA cricket wrap

BPCA A1

ANGLESEA put to rest any debate over who is currently the number one side in the Bellarine Peninsula Cricket Association A1 competition, travelling to conquer the previously undefeated Barrabool by an imposing eight wickets.

Entering the weekend, both sides were yet to taste defeat but the Roos quickly put themselves in command with the ball. Dale Kerr (3-17) cut through the top-order to help restrict the home side to 97 runs. Anglesea had no issues reeling in the total, Ashley Poulton (42*) and Leigh Kentish (31*) put together a quality third-wicket partnership to pass the total in the 38th over.

Anglesea now sits a game clear on top of the BPCA A1 ladder and will face another challenger this weekend, taking on third-placed Queenscliff.

Queenscliff made it back-to-back victories, comfortably chasing down St Leonards’ 8-136. Ned Rogerson took 3-42, but it was the tight bowling of Toby Smith (1-13 off 8 overs) and Michael Philp (0-5 off 6 overs) that applied the clamps on St Leonards.

Smith then backed it up with the bat, making 62 at the top of order to lead the Coutas’ chase, eventually taking a five-wicket victory.

Elsewhere, Jan Juc’s Ben Grinter dominated Collendina with 52 runs and 5-25 with the ball to help the Sharks to a seven-wicket win while Ocean Grove proved too strong for the winless Barwon Heads.

GCA1

LARA forged its way into the Geelong Cricket Association first grade top four after prevailing by two runs in a thrilling hit-out against Highton.

Chasing 143, momentum ebbed and flowed with Highton eventually requiring eight runs off the final over with one wicket remaining. A boundary saw that cut to four with four balls to go. On the third ball of the over, the Highton batsman put one into the gap, ran one and then turned for a second, but it proved the undoing of the partnership as Daniel Hughes threw to the bowlers end for Sam Purdy to complete the run out and end the match.

A thrilling win for Lara, which was its third in a row.

Captain Daniel Weigl said it was a tough day for batting but was stoked to come away with the win, despite not feeling his side has found its best form just yet.

“We felt it was a defendable score… we just tried to keep it tight. If you can execute with the ball, you don’t necessarily have to take risks, but as a batting side you sometimes have to,” Weigl said.

“It’s good to win three in a row, but the up side is we’ve still got a lot of improvement, which is a good thing… we’re doing enough to win.”

In other round five action, Leopold registered its first win of the season, defeating Grovedale by 28 runs. David Ford top-scored with an unbeaten 44 as Leopold was all out for 155.

A 50-run opening partnership looked to have the Tigers in a strong position, but Adam Bliss delivered a stellar bowling performance to lift his side to victory. Bliss took 4-3 off 8.1 overs as Grovedale fell for 127.

An unbeaten 101 from Newtown and Chilwell opener Isaac Hogan led his side to the six points, Two Blues defeating South Barwon by seven wickets.

Brilliant figures of 4-16 for Murgheboluc’s Jason Grozdanovski kept East Belmont to 155, Andrew Baars played his part with the bat, scoring 60.

Murgheboluc could only muster 108 in reply, Dylan Moroney leading the charge with 4-28.

North Geelong kept a grip on its spot at the top of the ladder with a 44-run win over St Joesph’s.

GCA2

MARSHALL is one of three clubs boasting a 4-1 record after five rounds of the Geelong Cricket Association division two firsts competition.

Bears’ skipper Corey Walter set the tone against St Peters with 66 runs at the top of the order to post 9-204 after its 50 overs.

A clump of wickets fell in the early stages of the Saints’ chase, reeling at 4-23. St Peters was eventually all out for 103 as Jake Dubbeldam took 4-19.

Bell Post Hill is another of those sides sitting at 4-1, the Panthers remaining on top of the GCA2 ladder following a 112-run win over Bell Park. Ryan Mills scored 68 while Glen Talarico was unbeaten on 59 as Bell Post Hill made 8-229.

Bell Park fell well short, Tim Horan enjoying figures of 5-32 as the Dragons were dismissed for 117.

Torquay notched up its fourth victory of the year, winning a low-scoring encounter against Modewarre. In difficult batting condition, Tom Dunn’s 50 proved crucial in getting Torquay to 119. John Fisher claimed 4-19 as Modewarre was knocked over for 92.

Alexander Thomson won a thriller against Geelong City. Mujawir Hussain took 5-32 to keep City to just 121. The Vikings slumped to 3-7 in response and eventually 9-76 before a stunning final wicket partnership between Jay Dunstan (36*) and Nelson Silvi (9*) guided Alexander Thomson home to a final over victory.