Sport
6 February, 2025
First outright win for Lions
NOORAT Terang Cricket Club’s division one side achieved its first outright win last weekend.
The team defeated Hawkesdale by an innings and 10 runs.
Resuming at 4-150 Isaac Toombs was dismissed nine shy of his third century when well caught low down at second slip.
His 91 came off 106 balls with 14 boundaries.
The Lions declared at 6-185 with 70 overs left to achieve an outright.
Sam Munro returned his best figures as he bowled a very good line and length to finish with 6-11 off 8.3 overs.
Munro also did this without having a boundary scored off his bowling.
Liam Geary was the only other multiple wicket taker having two catches taken behind trying to hook to finish with 2-20 off three overs.
Tyson Hay and Isaac Toombs both took one wicket.
Luke Kenna behind the stumps took three catches as did Harry Schrama roaming in the covers.
This weekend will see the start of a two day against Koroit at the Terang Turf.
The seconds hosted Russells Creek at Noorat with arguably their strongest side of the season with the inclusion of Isaac Kenna, Tim Keane and Dom Moloney as a result of being unavailable last weekend for the firsts.
Batting first the Lions posted an opening partnership of 51 with the dismissal of Dom Moloney in the 21st over for 20 off 66 balls.
Fellow opener Max Heffernan shortly after for 28 off 66 balls as well.
Scoring was slow and a fourth wicket partnership of 40 between Tim Keane and Isaac Kenna was unable to register a boundary.
Keane made 20 off 38 balls.
Kenna went on to top score with 34 from 50 balls.
Co-captains Liam Venn 12 off 15 and Martin Wynd 21 off 13 along with Dom Kenna got the total to 8-163 off 45 overs at a slow run rate of 3.6.
The Lions started well with an early wicket and the visitors steadied to be 1-46.
However, Tim Keane bowling medium quicks for the first time this season got the breakthrough and Martin Wynd followed up straight away.
At 7-105 the bowlers had restricted the batsmen and got wickets.
A 31 run eighth wicket looked to swing the game back to the visitors as they were well ahead of the run rate.
A reticent Hugh Giblin was encouraged to have his first bowl of the day as the game was slipping away.
First ball got the outside edge with Venn taking a great lowdown diving catch behind the stumps.
Six runs shy of victory and with two wickets in hand and still plenty of balls to come Andrew Battistello got the edge, and again Venn took the catch.
The next over Brett Hunger got the edge and again Venn took a low catch diving to his right. He finished with four catches for the day.
For the second week in a row the Lions had defended a total and won by six runs.
Division two bowlers showed their skill with Keane with taking 2-24 from nine overs and Kenna 2-38 from nine.
Battistello 2-8 from four, Wynd 2-36 from seven, Giblin 1-8 and Hunger 1-18 provided valuable backup.
This weekend they will host Dennington at Noorat trying to maintain their place in the top six.
The thirds had their worst performance of the season to be comprehensively beaten by the Nirranda Titans.
The home side batting first making 6-155 with Dean Abbott 2-25 from eight and Jack Kenna 2-47 from eight the multiple wicket takers.
Most economical bowler was Tom Conheady 0-9 from five.
Darcy Abbott and Charlie Roberts both took a wicket.
With the bat, four players reached double figures with John Clarkes 18 from 26 the best.
The Lions were bowled out in the 27th over for just 80.
This loss saw them drop from first to third.
Toby Roberts will be playing his 100th game this weekend and a win against Allansford Panmure would help him remember his milestone.
It has taken until the last round for the under 17s to taste victory when they chased down Denninton’s 7-97 with one over to spare and three wickets in hand. This win was a team effort with no one player dominating for the Lions.
Charlie Roberts took 3-15 from his five overs. Sam Lillico 2-6 from his five and Mason Barr 1-18 off five and Ollie Guthrie 0-15 from five, as well as two catches.
With the bat Max Heffernan top scored with 26 off 31, Barr and Isaac Byron both made 10.
Jack Farrell 9no and Tayte McMaster 5no guided the team home.
The under 15s playing the second side Mortlake Cobden were already under the pump after the first day having been dismissed for 83 and Mortlake Cobden nearly having made the runs without loss.
They powered on to be 7-244 from their 45 overs.
Riley McIntosh had the best figures of 2-11 and Flynn Gleeson 2-28.
Ollie Clarke and Paddy Scanlon both captured one wicket.
The Lions batted for eight overs in their second innings with Leo Beasley madding 22no from 24 balls with three fours and a six.
Hugh Kenna was 16no off 21 balls with three fours.
This Friday will be their last game with them coming against top side Allansford Panmure in a one-day game.
The under 13s are playing a two-day game against Allansford Panmure at the Terang No 2 ground.
The Lions batted first for 28 overs with the visitors batting their 28 overs and on Thursday evening the visitors will bat for another 28 overs unless dismissed with Lions then batting a final time.
The Lions made 4-101 with Liam Kenna being the standout retiring on 42 from 43 balls with six fours.
He was punishing off anything on his legs.
Ollie Clarke made 15 with Harry Beaton 9no and Bradley Wallace 6no able to resume batting on Thursday.
The visitors were 1-171 with Ollie Clarke the only bowler to get a wicket with the impressive figures of 1-4 from three overs.
Economical spells were had by Liam Kenna, Noah Conheady and Sonny Davis.
This weekend at the Noorat Terang Lions Cricket Club sees the reunion of three past premiership teams from the original clubs.
Both Noorat and Terang won the MECCA A and A Res premierships 30 years ago in 1994/95.
Also, Noorat will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the 2004/05 Premiership, ironically against Terang at the Terang Turf Ground.
