Lions prey on ladder leaders

DARLEY put themselves in the box seat for a potential outright win over undefeated Wendouree as day one concluded at the weekend.

After losing the toss the Lions were sent into the field on a turning deck injured coach Nathan Yates later conceded, “he too would have had a bat.”

But that would be the only win for the visitors on a testing deck as Sajith Dissanayake delivered once again with his off spinners to blitz the Reds with match winning figures of 6/20.

In retrospect the Reds were travelling well at 3/40 before the rot set in as the Lions pounced taking 7/14 to stun curious onlookers keen to witness a response from the hosts whose early season win / loss record was essentially in limbo.

Dissanayake was the beneficiary of some tight bowling from Lions opening pair Madushanka Ekanayake (6 ov, 1/3) and Benny Longhurst (6 ov, 1/15). Fellow spinner Hasitha Wickramasinghe (2/11) was very economical with his 10 overs that included the prized wickets of Daniel Cassidy (18) and Mick Nolan (14), the only two Reds batsmen to make it to double figures.

In response with the bat, questions were always going to be asked of an enigmatic Lions top order to deliver given what had transpired – a routing of arguably the BCAs premier batting line up – all done and dusted for just 54.

Dilon Chandima 60(77) and Lachie Herring 30(71) were the standouts and looked the most comfortable of any batsmen all day on a wicket the umpires described as “turning and some…” Fittingly, the two were at the crease when the Lions passed the Reds first innings disaster. Chandima and Herring put on 54 for the fourth wicket, ironically the same number of runs the Reds could muster in totality.

While the Lions endured their own shakey moments with bat despite the lead, losing 6/29 through the middle stages, every gain was deemed a bonus. The hosts struggled to 9/125 before Ekanayake (16*)and Longhurst (15*) combined for a crucial unbeaten 30 run 10th wicket partnership to give the Lions a valuable 101 run advantage at stumps.

Sure the visitors remain an outside chance pulling off an unlikely ‘two innings’ win of their own given their unblemished four games to date, but it’s the Lions who hold the all the aces at the halfway mark with the fate of their round six fixture seemingly in their own hands.

Play resumes from 1pm on Saturday at Darley Park.

In other Lions news, congratulations to century makers George Martindale (158), Shaun Sanders (136) and Archer Ward (117) and to the girls for reeling in their largest run chase ever on Sunday.

BCA FIRST GRADE –

(RND 6 – Day 1)

Wendouree 54, Overs 34.1. S.Dissanayake 6/20, H.Wickramasinghe 2/11.

Darley 9/155, Overs 48. D.Chandima 60, L.Herring 30.

Darley LEAD by 101 runs.

BCA SECOND GRADE –

(RND 6 – Day 1)

Naps-Sebas 3/118, Overs 32.1. M.Seager 2/25

Darley

Darley TRAIL by 118 runs..

BCA THIRD GRADE –

(RND 6 – Day 1)