The latest action from Ballan Cricket Club

A RAINY afternoon saw the women’s team playing at home on a Sunday for the first time against a solid Golden Point team.

Ballan went in to bat first against a tight line and length that saw the early wicket of Kori and Kate fall. Sami and Summer combined for a solid partnership of 52 before Sami was caught on 35.

Erin and Nadene fell shortly after. Summer fell after drinks on 18. Mariah, Cassidy, Tanya and Shannon had short stints in the middle with Sav before they were all out on 85 – a hard total to defend.

Mariah and Kate opened the bowling and were unlucky not to get wickets, with opportunities put down in the field. The first wicket fell with a run-out with Summer and Sami combining.

Tight bowling wasn’t enough and Golden Point started scoring freely. Sami, Nadene, Erin, Sav and young Layla all bowled well, but there were more opportunities that couldn’t be taken.

Summer claimed the other wicket, bowled, finishing on 1/5. Unfortunately the opponent passed Ballan’s score.

Fielding was solid, with two first-gamers Shannon and Tanya showing great enthusiasm and improved skills.

It whe first loss for the season but had plenty of highlights and lessons to work on.

 

BALLAN SENIOR 2ND XI MATCH REPORT

MAX BURTON

Buninyong 77

S Grigg 8 overs 3/12

J Costello 8 overs 3/31

A Britt 1.3 overs 2/9

M Ayres 4 overs 1/6

Ballan 4/79

M Shugg 28

P Singh 24

M Vallance 7 not out

J Costello 6 not out

In One Day League C-grade round six, Buninyong ventured to the Ballan Recreation Reserve to take on an undefeated Ballan 2nd XI team high on confidence and eager to keep their undefeated streak going.

Ballan skipper Max could not win the toss on this occasion, and Buninyong happily elected to bat.

Opening bowlers Stu Grigg and John Costello were incredibly miserly, barely giving away any runs during the first five overs before Stu created an opportunity in the seventh and collected a caught-and-bowled, lunging to his right to get the wickets started and have Buninyong in trouble at 1/7 off seven overs.

Not to be outdone, in the 12th over John collected two wickets in two balls thanks to some great fielding by Matt Shugg, taking one catch in the deep on the boundary line and then following up next ball running back towards the boundary with a skied chance that he was never going to drop.

 

The very next over Stu picked up the a nice wicket caught at backward point by Param Singh, and then a couple of overs later, the proverbial pace bowler’s dream wicket: after some classic outswing bowling, beating the bat over and over again, the straight one took out the middle peg, sending it flying out of the ground.

Buninyong captain Rob Lindsey, back on his previous homeground of Ballan, was ultra-aggressive hitting some fours, but he fell to John who delivered a turner that beat the bat and brushed the back pad before cannoning into the off-stump. The score was 6/42 at this point after 16 overs.

A bowling change at both ends saw Param Singh and Matt Ayres enter the fray – Param moving the ball both ways and unlucky not to pick up a wicket.

In the 21st over, Matt managed to see the batter stroke one off his hip, but in the air behind square leg. Michael Vallance (KB), had to quickly drop back and run 15 metres to his right and at the last moment pulled off an incredible dive to clasp the ball in both hands while horizontal to the ground.

Matt Ayres followed up a couple of overs later with a run-out off his own bowling to the bowler’s end in what only could be described as a suicidal run that never was.

Buninyong were 8/62 at the beginning of the 24th over.

 

Another bowling change and Michael Clark was brought in to the attack, the only member of his family not to get a wicket so far this season – and it stayed that way thanks to Angus ‘The Wizard’ Britt, who announced himself first ball with a cracking caught behind to Josh with the gloves. A huge celebration, and this was repeated two overs later when another caught behind was produced.

Buninyong finished all out for 77.

Matt Shugg and Param opened up the Ballan batting innings, sharing in a 46-run partnership before Matt was out lbw for 28 – a great innings that produced five fours. Matt Ayres was next in but he was not around for long, run out for one. Param followed shortly after, out lbw for 24 with two fours hit.

KB came to the wicket to witness Josh out, also lbw for two whereby John Costello and he saw Ballan home finishing on 4/79 just before the end of the 20th over.

A solid game of cricket and one of Ballan’s best games in the field, taking plenty of catches and high spirits throughout.

Ballan Senior Women Match report

SUMMER DEHNERT

Ballan 85 def by Golden Point 2/86