General News
24 December, 2021
Lakers finally end winless run
CAMPERDOWN demolished Cobden last Saturday to record its first win in 23 games in all competitions.
CAMPERDOWN demolished Cobden last Saturday to record its first win in 23 games in all competitions.
Camperdown’s last victory was March 7, 2020, in the 2019/20 season’s semi-final, where they chased down Mortlake’s total of 129 runs in the 37th over.
Camperdown won the toss and elected to bat, making 136 runs in 43.3 overs, and an excellent effort with the ball allowed them to restrict Cobden to just 52 runs, bowling them out in the 27th over.
Dominic Absalom was the dominant batsman for Camperdown, coming in at 4/43 and making 50 runs in 66 balls, but it was a tight bowling attack that really shone for the Lakers.
James O’Neil took 4/19 in eight overs in a stunning display, and every other bowler managed to limit their economy rate to 2.1 runs an over or less.
Camperdown captain Simon Richardson said the team was thrilled to get the monkey off its back.
“It’s taken a while to get there, but it’s a big relief,” he said.
Richardson said not losing quick wickets was a key to the team posting a competitive total in its innings.
“We batted pretty well, we managed to consolidate, and didn’t lose big clumps of wickets like we have sometimes,” he said.
“Harry (Sumner) and Troy (McLaughlin) held up their ends, then Dom (Absalom) came in, his batting’s come a long way through the season.
“It shows what he’s made of, he’s put in a heap of work, so it’s a good reward for him (to make 50).”
The Camperdown bowlers never gave Cobden a chance, with openers O’Neil and Bernard McLeod taking 5/20 in the first hour, putting the Knights in a position from which they never recovered.
“Jimmy and Bernie were both great, I just couldn’t take them off,” Richardson said.
“Jimmy bowled eight straight, but he’s still under 19, so he can only bowl eight.
“If not for that rule I wouldn’t have taken him off.”
Richardson said his team had found the last season and a half tough, but added they were all committed to the club and its success.
“The boys are a tight group, we’ve all played juniors together, and now seniors,” he said.
“They really want to succeed, and they want the club to succeed too.
“It’s a good look when the kids stick around, and if we can keep that happening it’ll be a great future for the club.”
Richardson said the Lakers could take some pride in their hard work finally paying off.
“It’s not just been me, all the other boys have put a hell of a lot into it,” he said.
“We’ll get some confidence from our first win, and hopefully we can go from there.”
Camperdown will head to Noorat to face the Steamrollers when the season resumes on January 15, where a win could see them jump from ninth to seventh if the in-form Rebels can defeat Woorndoo.