Benalla’s A-reserve side has continued its rollercoaster start to the year, going down to Yarrawonga Mulwala by eight wickets at the weekend.
Travelling to Victoria Park in Yarrawonga, the Bushrangers were asked to bat after losing the toss, and immediately found themselves in trouble after the loss of opener Vishal Sharma (3) and his replacement Gary Priest (2), leaving Benalla two wickets down with just 10 runs on the board.
A 1-run stand between Josh Heylbut and Nathan Delaney ended when Delaney was bowled for four, setting off a mini-collapse as Benalla slumped to 3-20.
Heylbut (8) followed Delaney back to the sheds, while new batter Bryce Cooney managed just one run before he too was sent packing, with the Bushrangers crumbling to 5-29.
Matthew Priest and Harrison Skelton added 12 runs for the sixth wicket, Benalla’s best partnership of the afternoon, before Skelton too was dismissed for one, and the Bushrangers again lost a clump of wickets.
With the final five wickets falling for just 15 runs, Benalla found itself bowled out in 31.3 overs with a total of 56 runs on the board, giving the bowling attack no margin for error if they were to pull off a miracle victory.
While Benalla found two wickets, one through Skelton (1-21) and the other through Cooney (1-15), it was too little, too late, as Yarrawonga-Mulwala took only 11.5 overs to hit the 57 runs required for victory, wrapping up an eight-wicket win.
The Bushrangers will travel to RC McNamara Reserve in Myrtleford this week to take on Ovens Valley United, as they look to return to the winners’ column.
B-grade
Benalla’s B-grade side returned to the field for its second outing of the season at the weekend, travelling to North Wangaratta Recreation Reserve to take on Rutherglen United.
With a combination of scheduled byes and a league-wide week off for the long weekend, the Bushrangers had been sidelined for nearly a month since the opening round, and opted to bowl first after winning the toss.
It looked as though the lay-off had not affected the Bushrangers at all, though, as the likes of Steven Pickering and Willem Hyland tore through the Rutherglen line-up, picking up wickets at regular intervals to finish with figures of 3-10 and 2-22, respectively, as Benalla bowled Rutherglen out for 107 inside 30 overs.
Things looked to be going smoothly in the chase, too, as openers Jordan Smith and Craig Williams put 22 runs on the board together before Smith fell, sparking a chain reaction.
New batter Pickering fell for a duck, with Williams departing for three shortly after, while number five Grayson Kirk also went for nought as Benalla collapsed from 0-22 to 4-28 in the blink of an eye.
The dismissal of Mitchell Cooney (4) made it 5-35 as the dire situation worsened for the Bushrangers, and when Hyland (13) departed to leave the score at 6-44, it looked all but finished.
The end came quickly, as Benalla lost its final four wickets for 12 runs, bowled out for 56 to hand Rutherglen the 51-run victory.
The B grade Bushies will return to North Wangaratta Oval this Saturday to take on Rovers United Bruck as they continue to search for the first win of their campaign.
C-grade
Benalla’s winning start to the C-grade season has continued, with the Bushrangers making it three wins from as many starts at the weekend.
Heading to Wangaratta’s Wareena Park to take on Greta, the Bushrangers were asked to bowl after losing the toss, but managed to make inroads early.
A pair of wickets to Vishal Fernando, and a handy breakthrough from skipper Nicholas Jacobs (1-30), saw the Bushrangers reduce Greta to 3-32 early on, before Fernando (3-24) and Jake Holmes (1-20) made it 5-45, with Benalla well and truly on top of the contest.
A steady stream of wickets fell for the remainder of the innings, with Paul Ivery snaring a handy 2-3, although the Greta tail was able to wag, posting a total of 9-113.
With bat in hand, however, it was Chris Lindsay that guided Benalla home, belting an unbeaten 54 to power the Bushrangers to a six-wicket win.
Thomas Snell (17) and Fernando (15) were also handy contributors in the chase, which ensures Benalla sit safely in second spot, behind the only other undefeated side in Moyhu.
The Bushrangers will travel to take on the fourth-placed Gapsted this week.
Juniors
Under-14 Red
Benalla’s under-14 Red side is in a commanding position at stumps on day one of its contest against Yarrawonga Mulwala Bulls, posting a total of 8-181 from its 40 overs.
Hosting the Bulls at Benalla Showgrounds, the Bushrangers were asked to bat after losing the toss, and looked to be in trouble early as openers Bentley Parker (4) and Hudson Pickering (5), as well as skipper Tyson Williams (1) fell within the first seven overs, leaving Benalla at 3-31.
But Oliver Parker and vice-captain Noah Anderson steadied the ship, ticking over the scoreboard with great effect, with Parker adding 20 runs before he was bowled, while Anderson retired not out on 53, a knock which included seven boundaries, helping to set up Benalla’s big total.
Louis Horne made it to double digits, adding 10 runs from number seven, while Charlie Bowen (18 not out) and Jaxson Heatherill (14 not out) added valuable runs from number nine and eleven, respectively, as Benalla posted 8-181 to set Yarrawonga-Mulwala a target of 182 for victory next week.
Under-14 Blue
Benalla’s under-14 Blue side travelled to Victoria Park in Yarrawonga to take on the Yarrawonga-Mulwala Rams at the weekend, posting a solid total at stumps on day one.
Having been sent in to bat after losing the toss, skipper Thomas Snell and fellow opener Oliver Smith refused to let the Rams find a breakthrough, batting together for 18 overs before Snell retired not out for a brilliant 50, smacking six balls to the rope and one over it in a superb knock.
While Smith contributed a well-made 17 at the top of the order also, no other Benalla batter made it into double digits, with the Bushrangers posting a total of 8-150 from 40 overs.
The total should prove competitive next week, too, although the Bushies will need a strong bowling performance if they are to win.
Under-12
Benalla Bushrangers White took on their under-12 Blue clubmates at Benalla Gardens Oval on Friday night, with Blue proving too good in the 54-run win.
Winning the toss and electing to bat first, Blue posted a total of 8-97, with Jaxson Heatherill (21) and Jimmy Humphrey (20 not out) top scoring, while Albert Briggs (2-8) and Jagga Schintler (2-8) led the White bowling attack.
In reply, White managed 7-43, led by Oliver Ross who retired not out on 11, while Finlay Parker’s 1-1 was the best return of the Blue bowlers.
On Saturday morning, the Bushrangers under-12 Green side hosted City Colts White at Arundel Street, earning a 35-run victory.
Batting first after losing the toss, Jonathan Goodwin (19 not out) and Tom lambert (18) powered Benalla to 7-84, before restricting City Colts to 7-49 in reply, led by Mitchell Murray’s figures of 2-3.
At Wangaratta High School, Benalla’s under-12 Red side faced City Colts Blue, earning a big 78-run victory.
Batting first after losing the toss, the Bushrangers were powered to a huge total of 7-139 off the back of an unbeaten 48 from co-captain Jack McKenzie, while his fellow co-captain Toby Smith retired unbeaten on 24.
With the ball, Tulson Reynolds helped set up the big win, snaring figures of 2-2 as Benalla restricted City Colts to 5-61 from 20 overs.
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