Wallan continues to dominate in the Gisborne District Cricket Association’s (GDCA) Johnstone Shield Firsts, as it chalked up another victory over Kilmore at the weekend.
The two sides faced unexpected weather all day, with a mix of heat and minimal rain lingering at Wallan’s home ground on Saturday.
Kilmore won the toss and chose to bat for the one day match in round seven.
Their opening pair, Elliot Frendo and Leon Zelvys, took to the crease, with Frendo making the first breakthrough by scoring the initial run, followed by Zelvys adding two more runs in the second over.
But Frendo’s time on the pitch came to an end after seven more runs, dismissed via a catch by Wallan’s Nathan Fowler.
Zelvys kept his head above the water for most of Kilmore’s innings, making an impressive 41 runs, four 4s, and the only batter to make a six in the match.
Wallan’s fielding and bowling continued to keep Kilmore’s runs at an average rate throughout the final stages of their innings, particularly when Scott O’Donnell and Campbell Fowler bowled from over 23 onwards.
Several Kilmore batters were caught off the bowling of Fowler and O’Donnell, as the pair applied intense pressure and limited Kilmore’s run rate.
Kilmore navigated through Wallan’s strong fielding and bowling, with Ben Dawson batting steadily to score eight runs in over 34, finishing with a total of 28 runs off 25 balls.
By the end of Kilmore’s batting period, the side finished with a total of 164 runs for the loss of 10 wickets.
Once the sides switched, Wallan Captain Bryan Vance took charge of the match from start to finish, amassing an unbeaten 71 runs off 103 balls.
Not only was it difficult for Kilmore to dismiss Vance, Wallan’s Archie Moore proved to be the side’s second-best batter for the match with 28 runs comprising of three 4s.
After 39 overs, the Magpies had accumulated 168 runs for the loss of six wickets, securing a commanding position and clinching a 6/168 to 10/164 victory in the match.
Elsewhere, Eastern Hill were successful over Eynesbury, securing a score of 9/150 to 10/96.
Meanwhile, in the Johnstone Shield Seconds, both Wallan and Eastern Hill emerged victorious in their respective matches against Kilmore and Eynesbury.
In round eight, Wallan’s Firsts will travel to Eynesbury, while Kilmore will host Diggers Rest Bulla Village and Eastern Hill will have a bye.
McIntyre Cup
Round seven featured a series of competitive matches across the region in the McIntyre Cup Firsts.
Contributing significantly to the batting field, Romsey’s standout batter was Daniel Wright, who made 41 runs off 50 balls in a one-day match against the Sunbury Kangaroos on Saturday.
Matching Wright was Sunbury’s Jay Patel, adding 36 runs off 72 balls.
Romsey claimed a well-earned victory, with a solid total of 10/108 against Sunbury, who could only manage 10/96.
Broadford also had their way at the weekend in a one-day match against Macedon, making 143 runs for the loss of three wickets in less than 29 overs.
In round eight, Romsey will host Sunbury, while Broadford will travel to play against Macedon this Saturday at 3pm.
In the McIntyre Cup Seconds competition, Broadford earned its winning position with 6/127 to Macedon’s 7/126, while Romsey had a bye.
