With the Bombers 5-114, the Lodgers, coming off a 240-run defeat to reigning premiers Kyabram, looked to have the upper hand in the one-day clash at Waaia Reserve before Cleeland flipped the switch, cracking 14 boundaries en route to a swashbuckling 127 off 103 deliveries.
All 14 of Cleeland’s boundaries came after Waaia’s fifth wicket fell, ultimately propelling the Bombers to an imposing 7-263.
Cleeland was well complemented by Brayden Carey’s 70 runs at the top of the order, though Waaia didn’t have proceedings all on their own terms, but the Lodgers managed to stem the Bombers’ early hitting after with Xavier Waters effected the run out of Jordan Cleeland.
Darshana Prasad Loku Hettige was the pick of Pine Lodge’s bowlers with 2-17 off his nine overs, one of those being Bailey Smith before playing a hand in Nate Malcolm’s pivotal wicket of Carey.
Six deliveries after Carey’s dismissal, Ryan Kearney then had Liam Evans caught and bowled for a duck, and when Hettige knocked Jesse Trower over for just four runs in the 25th over, Pine Lodge suddenly found itself in control with the Bombers 5-114.
Anthony Ciavarella chipped in a valuable 28 not out in a 100-run partnership with Cleeland to dig Waaia out of trouble, but the Lodgers were up for the battle with the bat as well.
The Bombers seam brigade offered a stifling line and length to openers Hayden Cann and Ryan Kearney, who dug in to get Pine Lodge to 40 without loss.
Hayden Hixon finally broke the Lodgers resistance in the 16th over with Cann’s wicket, Xavier Waters then digging in with Kearney before Jordan Cleeland dismissed him for 10.
Hettige and Kearney added a valuable 54 runs for the third wicket but with the run rate climbing, Waaia began to pull back momentum, Matt Stuart trapping Hettige LBW for 32 in the 33rd over.
Cleeland added Liam Trevaskis, Brijesh Singh, and Reuben Davis to his list of victims to finish with 4-39, breaking the Pine Lodge resistance.
The Lodgers managed to bat out their 45 overs and finish on 7-157, with Kearney producing a gritty 67 not out.
But the round two points, nonetheless, went the way of the Bombers in a 106-run victory, moving to 2-0 ahead of next week’s clash against SYCU.
Pine Lodge will look ahead to its clash at Lemnos Reserve against Numurkah.
THE GAME
Waaia 7-263 (Mitch Cleeland 127, Brayden Carey 70, Darshana Prasad Loku Hettige 2-17) d Pine Lodge 7-157 (Ryan Kearney 67 not out, Darshana Prasad Loku Hettige 32, Jordan Cleeland 4-39)
STAR PLAYER:
Mitch Cleeland (Waaia): The Bombers skipper led from the front with a hard-hitting century, getting his team out of a tricky spot in the process.
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