The latest action at Ballan Cricket Club…

Ballan Women 8/105 def. by Ballarat Redan 3/108 in the Grand Final

SUMMER DEHNERT

OUR women’s team travelled to Alfredton to take on Ballarat Redan in a top-of-the-table Grand Final clash — a two-day, 40-over match. Erin won the toss and elected to bat. After some inspiring words from the coach, Sarah and Kori got us underway. Kori was unlucky to cop a ball to the wrist early and was forced to retire hurt, bringing Erin to the crease in the opening overs. Erin was dismissed shortly after, bowled for 1.Summer joined Sarah in the middle before Sarah was caught out of her crease and stumped for 8. Kate was next in, but a leg spinner that turned a mile removed middle stump.Cass came to the crease with strict instructions to stay in and block out the good ones. She and Summer steadied the ship, putting on 35 runs and seeing off Redan’s top bowlers. Shortly before drinks, Summer played down the wrong line and was bowled for 19.After having some repairs done, Kori returned to the middle and made an immediate impact with a boundary. Unfortunately the wrist injury made holding the bat difficult and later spooned a catch into the field for 14, bringing sister Eloise to the crease.Cass and Eloise added another 10 runs before Eloise popped one back to the bowler and was caught for 2. Nadene joined Cass and the pair added another valuable 32 runs before Cass was bowled for 36 — her highest score to date.Sav came out with five balls remaining, determined to swing hard, but was caught on the final ball of the innings.Ballan finished at 8/105, setting up a big task heading into Friday evening’s bowling innings.A warmer night greeted us on Friday. Summer and Eloise opened the bowling and did their jobs keeping things tight early. Eloise was unlucky not to claim a wicket when Cass took a catch on the boundary that was called back for a no-ball.Sarah entered the attack and immediately found her lengths. Summer had a rest with sister Mariah taking over and delivering her usual consistent spell.Kate and Kori combined for a run-out in the 13th over for our first breakthrough. Summer and Kori swapped keeping duties so Kori could have a bowl. Eloise returned to pick up an LBW in the 18th over, before Kori struck in the next with a caught-behind — Summer taking the catch.Shortly after, Redan passed our total to claim the win.An amazing effort to make it this far in only our second season. For many players it was their first or second season of cricket ever.

 

Lucas 9/205 defeated by Ballan 5/206

MAX BURTON

Lucas 9/205

Jake Wernicke 2/27 – 6 overs

Matt Ayres 2/40 – 8 overs

Michael Vallance 2/60 – 8 overs

John Costello 1/24 – 8 overs

Pram Singh 1/40 – 8 overs

Ballan 5/206

Max Burton 48

Matt Shugg 38

Param Singh 31

Matt Ayres 26

BALLAN 2nd XI celebrated a fantastic win on Saturday at Brown Hill Oval, defeating Lucas in a match that featured plenty of dramatic and heartstopping moments.

Lucas won the toss and elected to bat.

Their innings did not get started however as Ballan’s opening bowling pair of Matt Ayres and John Costello produced a combination of chances, opportunities and very tight bowling to restrict the Lucas batters.

 

Collecting the in-form scalp of the Lucas opener on 25 via a catch at first slip to Max Burton from Ayres, the tight bowling resulted in the other Lucas opener losing their wicket for 16 via a run-out a couple of overs later. Some great fielding by Jake Wernicke resulted in a quick throw to the keeper Josh Singh who had no problem gently knocking the bails off with half a pitch to spare.

Trouble continued to occur for Lucas in the very next over as Costello brought an end to their captain’s innings with a caught behind to Singh.

Ballan were on a roll and for the third over in a row, claimed a wicket with Ayres picking up his second with a skied chance high to the leg side which allowed wicket-keeper Singh to move in quickly and take a catch halfway to the square-leg umpire, removing the batter for a duck.

Lucas was in early strife at 4/47 but found themselves on 4/92 at drinks after some steady batting to consolidate.

The break gave an opportunity to reset for Ballan and Vallance picked up a wicket in his first over back, collecting the batter for 31 via a great catch to James Somers who held onto a high ball at mid-wicket.

Not to be outdone, Singh, who was swinging the ball both ways, collected the wicket of his batting partner for 14 with a catch to Burton at wide first slip.

Again Lucas was on the back foot at 6/115.

Vallance collected his second wicket, inducing a chance to deep long-on where Matt Shugg clasped a great catch to dismiss the batter for 14

Burton and Wernicke were brought into the attack and untaken chances continued to be brought forward to the fielding team. Wernicke produced 2 wickets in an over. The first removing the danger batter for 55 clean bowled, and the second via a caught behind to Singh for 4.

A rearguard action then occurred between the last two Lucas batters to have them finish on 9/205.

Shugg and Singh commenced Ballan’s chase with enthusiasm and restraint against the speed and spin being brought to them.

 

A bowling change brought down Singh after a superb innings. In the 11th over he was bowled off a deflection from his pads for 31, ending a strong partnership at 61 runs.

Ayres strode to the centre and together with Shugg they put on some quick runs with great running between the wickets. Shugg however found his way back to the sidelines after the opening bowler returned and slid one past him to hit the wickets – bowled. He finished on 38.

This brought the Ballan skipper to the middle. Ayres’ time with Burton did not last long unfortunately as the very next over he came back for a second run to find himself short of the crease at the keeper’s end after a superb fielding effort by Lucas, finishing on 26.

Drinks were taken as Ballan reassessed after two quick wickets lost at 3/107.

After drinks, Josh Singh joined Burton and together they played an enormous knock, supporting each other.

Burton was focused and Singh backed him up wonderfully, maneuvering the ball around the frustrated Lucas fielders as the game slipped away from them.

Singh was undone by a superb catch at mid-wicket by the Lucas skipper who knocked a very hard hit ball into the air as he jumped high, for it to rebound down and catch Singh out for 15, ending a 76 run partnership.

Burton followed 3 balls later when he was trapped LBW for 48 from a short delivery that kept low.

Ballan were 5/184 – with a tenseness starting to creep in.

All the concern was unfounded however as the pair of Wernicke and Somers then played perfectly to bring Ballan home, taking 5 more overs to collect the remaining 22 runs. Wernicke finished on 14 and Somers on 9.

The win was a milestone for Ballan 2nd XI who now take on Ballarat Fire Brigade at White Flat Oval next Saturday 21st March in the Grand Final.