Magpies maul Macedon

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By Jackson Russell

Wallan followed up on their stellar first innings total of 408 with an absolute demolition job, tearing through Macedon’s batsmen twice on day two to take a much-needed outright win.

The Magpies started the day off on the right note, with coach Chris Vecchie taking two early wickets, opener Todd Coppin and Thomas Selby, to have Macedon 2/30.

From then on, wickets fell like dominoes as Macedon lost 8/11 on their home deck to be bowled out for 41 from just 35.2 overs.

Jai Weshal and Mitch Van De Duim each took three wickets in the first innings, while Steven Bell and Manjinder Singh took a wicket each.

With Macedon still needing more than 300, Wallan enforced the follow on and was able to inflict further punishment on Macedon’s batsmen.

Jai Weshal got the ball rolling for the Magpies, bowling opener Coppin and Jacob Port in quick succession.

Opener Ryan Thomas (17) and Mick Doyle (25) put 40 on the board for Macedon before both were dismissed by Manjinder Singh.

That was all she wrote for hosts as Macedon lost its next five wickets for 11 runs.

Singh added three wickets to his total for the day, while Weshal added four more scalps.

Coach Chris Vecchie said it was a huge effort from his side.

“Coming into day two, our plan was to take the 10 wickets as quick as we could to take the first innings but we always had the possibility of outright in the back of our minds,” he said.

“Macedon had a few players out but that’s how it goes sometimes. The opportunity was there and we knew to be a chance, we’d have to bowl them out before tea.

“Every bowler that took the ball did exactly what was asked and the fielding backed them up.

“I don’t think there was one exceptional bowler but it was more a team effort with the ball which you need to bowl a side out twice.”

The outright win shot Wallan up from sixth to second on the Johnstone Shield ladder, only two points behind East Sunbury, despite having only four wins, two draws and four losses prior.

Wallan has a golden opportunity in front of it on Saturday as the Magpies host fourth-placed Bacchus Marsh at Greenhill Reserve in a two-dayer.

A win would put Wallan in a great position with just three rounds to go before finals.

“It’s so tight at the top so we’re treating this as a massive game for us and it’ll be a really good test to see where we’re at,” Vecchie said.