By Jackson Russell
Kilmore and Broadford both continued their perfect start to the Seymour and District Cricket Association season with wins over Yea and Seymour respectively.
Kilmore had a 48-run win over last season’s runner-up Yea at Yea Recreation Reserve to take top spot on the SDCA A Grade ladder.
Kilmore won the toss and batted, getting off to a good start with Dale Tassone and captain Josh Buttler putting on a 51-run partnership before Buttler was dismissed by Will Dalton for 11. Tassone fell not long after, caught off the bowling of Aiden McSpeerin for 41 to have Kilmore 2/55.
Only 15 runs were put on the board before wicketkeeper Matt Rose also fell, caught and bowled by Dalton for 2.
Jacob Walton and Shane Topham combined for a 50-run partnership before Topham was caught behind off Damon Malcolm for 18. Walton was dismissed soon after for 46, Kilmore’s highest score of the day, as the team fell to 5/132.
Kilmore’s tail hung in, with Robert Hanson making 23 before he was the last wicket to fall, as Kilmore finished its innings 7/172.
Taking the ball after tea, Kilmore was in control from the get-go as Buttler dismissed Darcy Pell for 15.
A top-order collapse ensued, with Corey Dennehy taking the next two wickets, followed by Topham taking Kilmore’s fourth as the Tigers fell to 4/38.
Wicketkeeper Cameron Armstrong steadied the ship for Yea, making 18 in a 34-run partnership with opener Damon Malcolm, before he was sent packing by Ben Dawson with Yea 5/72.
This led to another collapse, with Tassone picking up a couple of quick wickets to have Yea under the pump at 7/78.
Malcolm was finally dismissed, caught Dawson bowled Hanson, after making a team-high 46 from 95 deliveries.
That was the death knell for Yea, which finished at 9/124 as Kilmore cruised home.
Kilmore captain-coach Josh Buttler said he was feeling good about his side’s start to the season.
“Everything’s looking promising at the moment so I’m very happy with our start to the year. Obviously, we have a bit to improve on, but it’s been a good start nonetheless,” he said.
“We set ourselves a clear plan both with batting and bowling and managed to execute the plans we put in place very well, which is going to set us up in good stead for the rest of the year.”
Buttler praised the performances of Jacob Walton and the returning Dale Tassone.
“[Tassone] found a fair bit of form and looked like he recaptured the form of old so that was quite promising to see in only his second hit back,” he said.
“It was probably one of [Walton’s] better innings for a while. He batted to our plan and played his role perfectly.”
Broadford made quick work of Seymour in its 102-run win, despite being put under pressure early on.
Broadford found itself in trouble at 3/28 after Riley Mason was run out and Danny Fountain dismissed Evan Mills and Cooper Mason in quick succession.
Jake Martin and captain Ash Wood were able to consolidate the innings, putting on 40 together before Martin fell for 30.
Wood hung on a little longer before he was caught behind for 19, with Broadford 5/87.
Ashley Gurney took charge of the lower order, making 20 from 32 balls before he was dismissed at 9/139.
Broadford finished its innings all out for 144.
With a chaseable total, Broadford got the job done with the ball with ease.
Jack Connell struck first, dismissing opener Simon Van Duinen for two before Gurney joined in, bowling Hayden Gawne and Lachlan Drummond for ducks.
Connell collected the set of openers when Jason Brown was caught by Taylor Shell for eight, and followed up again, taking wicketkeeper Nicholas Quigg caught and bowled for nought to have Seymour in trouble at 5/14.
Jeremy Bradshaw took his first wicket of the day when he dismissed Brett Gordon leg before wicket for two and followed up with two more in succession as Seymour fell to 8/34.
Shell took his only wicket, dismissing Daniel McLarty, caught behind for a duck, before Gurney finished off Seymour, bowling Fountain for 11 and Seymour out for 42 after just 25 overs.
Pyalong is still winless after a five-wicket loss to Eastern Hill at home.
The hosts started well, with openers Gavin Thomson and Peter Campbell putting on 35 before Thomson was bowled by Brayden Avola for 13.
Campbell led Pyalong, making 30 runs before he was run out for the third wicket with Pyalong 3/68.
Wickets continued to fall with consistency as Pyalong was bowled out for 119.
Pyalong struck early with the ball when Matthew Wilkins dismissed Brayden Speechley, caught behind by Daniel Snowden for two.
Pyalong was able to prevent Eastern Hill’s top-order from creating a solid partnership but lost control of the match once Avola and Regan Gardner partnered and put on a 55-run partnership to chase the total with five wickets in hand and 10 overs remaining.
Tallarook got back on track with a 75-run win over Alexandra at home.
Wicketkeeper Cameron Muir top-scored, making 71 and leading Tallarook to 4/185.
Blake Coyle took 4/38 from 8.1 overs with three maidens as Tallarook bowled Alexandra out for 110 from 34.1 overs.
