A-reserve makes it three from three in T20 format as juniors regroup ahead of day two action
Seniors
A-reserve
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A third win from as many games has ensured Benalla remains undefeated in the Wangaratta and District Cricket Association A-reserve T20 competition, having comfortably accounted for Rovers United Bruck at the weekend.
Travelling to North Wangaratta Recreation Reserve to take on a Rovers side that had gone winless in their first two short format contests, Benalla was asked to bat after losing the toss, and were off to a quick start through openers Mitchell Cooney and Gary Priest, with the pair firing off 28 before Cooney was run out for on 14.
Mark Osborne and Bryce Cooney were the next men in, although their stays were brief, with Osborne removed for a golden duck and Cooney adding 10 before he too departed, as the Bushrangers slumped to 3-50.
Josh Heylbut managed five runs as the top order spluttered, however, Priest’s team-high contribution of 27, as well as valuable middle order knocks of 21 to Harrison Skelton and an unbeaten 24 to Mitchell Wheelens guided the Bushrangers safely beyond 100, with the visitors posting a total of 9-127 from their 20 overs.
It would be a supreme team performance with the ball that saw Benalla to an eventual 30-run win, however, with even contributions from all bowlers helping restrict the Rovers to 9-97 from 20 overs.
Allowing only three partnerships to add more than 10 runs, the Bushrangers found wickets consistently, with Gurpreet Singh Mann doing the most damage, snaring 3-19 from his four overs, while Wheelens (2-14) and Osborne (2-19) both claimed multiple wickets and James Ladd snared 1-14 in the big win.
The victory sets up a huge clash in the final T20 between Benalla and Ovens Valley United at RC McNamara Reserve in Myrtleford this weekend, with both sides recording three wins from three T20 contests so far.
B-grade
B-grade had the bye in round seven and will return to action this weekend against Ovens Valley United at Arundel Street Oval.
C-grade
A team-high 49 runs with the bat and three wickets with the ball capped a sensational individual performance from Willem Hyland in Benalla’s C-grade clash against Beechworth Wanderers, however, it wasn’t enough to drag his side across the line as the Bushrangers slumped to consecutive defeats for the first time this season.
On the road to Baarmutha Park to take on the Wanderers, the Bushrangers elected to bat after winning the toss and, while the top three in Greg Hoysted (19), Grayson Kirk (13) and Thomas Snell (7) all made starts, they were unable to go on with their innings, as Benalla slumped to 3-51 early in proceedings.
Hyland looked the most comfortable of all at the crease and began to score freely alongside Noah Cooney, with the pair adding 42 runs in what was the Bushrangers’ biggest partnership of the contest, before Cooney fell to leave Benalla four wickets down with 93 runs on the board.
Skipper Paul Ivery was the next batter in, however, he too found the going tough, dismissed for four runs as the Bushrangers slumped to 5-108, which soon became 6-108 as Hyland fell one run short of half-century.
It would be the only meaningful score in Benalla’s innings, with the Bushrangers posting a total of 8-125 from 36 overs.
In reply with the ball, Hoysted (2-33) got the Bushies off to a hot start, removing a Beechworth opener to have the home side at 1-4, which he followed up with support from Hyland to leave the Wanderers squirming at 3-60.
Hyland struck again to leave the home side four down with 63 on the board, which became 5-77 when Jake Holmes (1-19) snared his first for the afternoon, and when Hyland (3-13) claimed his third scalp to leave Beechworth at 6-89, it looked as though it would go down to the wire.
An unbeaten 38-run partnership for the seventh wicket put paid to Benalla’s chances of a win, however, as the Wanderers comfortably closed out the innings with two overs to spare, notching a four-wicket win and condemning the Bushrangers to their first consecutive loss of the season.
Benalla remains fourth despite the defeat, level on wins with Beechworth above and Great below, while sitting one game adrift of second-placed Yarrawonga-Mulwala, a gap they could close with a victory when they host the second-placed side this Saturday at Arundel Street Oval.
Juniors
Under-16
A brilliant knock from Xavier De Fazio has put Benalla in a strong position at stumps on day one of its Wangaratta and District Cricket Association under-16 Eugene Kneebone Shield clash against Rovers United Bruck.
Making the trek to North Wangaratta Recreation Reserve, Benalla won the toss and opted to wield the willow, with opening pair Riley McCarthy and Hugh Ross striding out to the middle and each adding 14 runs before they were dismissed.
It opened the door for De Fazio to take to the crease alongside Harrison Skelton, with the pair both swinging from their opening balls to record strike rates above 170.
Skelton managed a quick-fire 23 from 13 deliveries in an eye-catching innings, however, it was De Fazio that stole the show, needing only 49 deliveries to pummel his way to 93, belting eight boundaries before holing out seven runs short of his century.
Noah Cooney would be the only other player down the order to reach double digits, blasting 10 from four balls, as Benalla posted a solid total of 8-174 from 40 overs, as they prepare to wreak havoc with the ball ahead of day two this weekend.
Under-14 Red
Benalla’s under-14 Red side bowled Beechworth out inside 40 overs on day one of their Wangaratta and District Cricket Association Len Hill Shield clash at the weekend, but they still face a tall order with the bat on day two.
With Beechworth only fielding 10 batters on Friday evening, Benalla claimed nine wickets on day one at Baarmutha Park in Beechworth to bring the Wanderers’ innings to a close in the final over, but not before the home side managed to put 185 runs on the board.
Bentley Parker snared three wickets as the pick of Benalla’s bowlers, ending the day’s play with figures of 3-7 from five overs, while Jai Collins snared 2-29 from his four overs as the only other multiple wicket taker for the Bushrangers.
Joshua Hooper (1-9) and Charlie Bowen (1-16) also claimed scalps, however, the Benalla bowlers seemingly had no answer for Beechworth opener George Pfahlert, who belted 58 runs at the top of the order before he was dismissed via run out.
The Bushrangers will need to score 187 runs in 40 overs on the final day of cricket before the Christmas break next week to take the points, as they look to solidify their position inside the top four.
Under-14 Blue
Benalla’s under-14 Blue side will need a solid performance with the ball this week if it is to defend the total of 10-123 it posted on day one of its Wangaratta and District Cricket Association Len Hill Shield clash at the weekend against City Colts.
Hosting the Colts at Benalla Showgrounds, the Bushrangers elected to bat after winning the toss on Saturday morning, however, immediately found themselves up against it following the departure of openers Cash Nolen and Caleb Hein for five and seven, respectively.
Skipper Thomas Snell attempted to steady the ship, however, he rapidly ran out of partners, with Jack Davies the only other Benalla batter to make it to double digits, making a patient 15 from 51 deliveries.
Snell would end up stranded on 62 not out as the lower order collapsed, with the Bushrangers managing 123 runs from 34 overs before the innings came to an end.
Under-12
Benalla White and Benalla Red kicked off round seven action in the WDCA under-12 Gold division on Friday night at Arundel St Oval, with Red claiming a 20-run win over their White clubmates.
Winning the toss and electing to bat, Red posted a total of 5-95 from 20 overs courtesy of an unbeaten 35 from co-captain Toby Smith, while a solid 22 from co-captain Jack McKenzie was another handy contribution.
Joel Emmanuel was the pick of White’s bowlers, snaring 2-2, while Jagga Schintler was also solid, claiming 2-11, while Oliver Ross played a hand in the other wicket with a run out.
Emmanuel was also solid in reply with the bat, top scoring for White with an unbeaten 17, well supported by 12 not out from Dustin Nolan, however a strong Red bowling attack led by Luke Conway (1-3) and Izayah Williams (1-3) restricted White to 4-75.
Saturday saw Benalla Green travel to College Park in Mansfield to take on Delatite, earning a nine-wicket win.
Asked to bowl after losing the toss, Benalla Green kept Delatite to a total of 5-34, with Tom Lambert and Jack Bourke each claiming figures of 1-1, while Grayson Harkins (1-9) also snared a wicket.
Lambert would top score with the bat, too, belting 21 before retiring not out, well supported by Bill Bourke who made 20 before retiring not out also, as Benalla stormed to the win one wicket down.
Benalla under-12 Blue also claimed a big win on Saturday, defeating City Colts White by 97 runs at Arundel St Oval.
Sent in to bat after losing the toss, co-captain Edward Clancy belted a mammoth 45 off 30 to set up Benalla’s total of 6-136, which was defended comfortably with the ball as Jaxson Heatherill snared 1-1, Jimmy Humphrey, Bodie Gall and William Staggard each claimed 1-5, while co-captain Ronald Staggard (1-6) and Jack Crook (1-10) both also claimed wickets as Benalla kept the visitors to 6-39 in reply.