AFTER a washed out first round of the men’s competition in the Gisborne District Cricket Association (GDCA), cricket returned to the area in more favourable conditions at the weekend.
It was the first chance for Eastern Hill to get a taste of McIntyre Cup cricket, facing off against Romsey at Kings Park.
A new look opening pair of Seamus Feery and Dan O’Sullivan was broken up early when Romsey’s captain Ben Way bowled O’Sullivan for 12.
Feery was then joined by Ben Bryant and the pair put on a slow but steady 87-run partnership to give the Eagles a platform.
However tight death bowling from Romsey, led by Corey Day’s 3/17 from nine overs, restricted Eastern Hill to 7/152.
In reply, the Redbacks found themselves in a bit of trouble at 5/57 but Way was at the crease and, like many times before, had the game on his bat.
This time, he was ably assisted by former Macedon cricketer Matthew Stonier and the pair effectively whittled away the deficit.
Stonier reached 50 with a boundary and Way (41 not out) hit the winning runs in the following over to secure Romsey a five wicket win with 13 balls to spare.
Elsewhere in the McIntyre Cup, Wallan was no match for the reigning premiers Woodend, going down by 86 runs in an away game.
Hamish Mullavey-Clark took three wickets from his nine overs and the ever-important Bryan Vance got a quick-fire 40, but it wasn’t enough.
In the Johnstone Shield, Broadford’s reintroduction didn’t go to plan as Merrifield stamped itself as the ones to watch with a 67-run win.
Talwinder Prince (96) and Harmandeep Bhathal (61) did the bulk of the damage for the Panthers at Harley Hammond Reserve, catapulting the visitors to 252 after 45 overs.
In response, Braden Hickey and Riley Nolan both got starts at the top of the order but once they departed the chase became more difficult.
Father-son duo Ash and Harrison Wood top-scored for Broadford with 48 and 31 respectively.
The home team finished their innings at 9/185.
Rocky Sharma was the pick of the Merrifield bowlers, taking 3/13 from five overs.
Lancefield held its spot on top of the ladder thanks to a three wicket win over Eynesbury.
Beneficiaries of a bye in the first round which meant they secured six points while everyone else got three, the Tigers had Eynesbury in trouble at 5/36 after 14 overs.
The Eagles recovered however, posting 134.
Harrison Lehner’s figures of 2/8 off 5.5 overs were tidy and captain Alan Sinclair’s 39 with the bat proved crucial in the run chase.
In Sunbury, Kilmore couldn’t restrict a big-hitting Parminder Singh who steered the Sunbury Kangaroos to a four wicket win.
The Blues’ captain Dale Tassone carried on his form from last season to put on 78 of the team’s 181, assisted by some late cameos from the lower order.
After the fast bowlers couldn’t break through early, Tassone took the ball for himself and dismissed three of the Kangaroos’ batters, but the damage was done already.
The reserves matchups all produced the same winners besides the Lancefield v Eynesbury matchup where the latter grabbed an eight-wicket win.
In the lower grades, Romsey and Lancefield were the only two towns which found success. The Redbacks won a tight duel in Club North grade against Kilmore, while Lancefield chased down Malmsbury’s 186 with five wickets in hand.
