Sport
9 March, 2023
Lakers just miss finals
DESPITE not making finals this season, Camperdown’s division one cricketers can hold their heads high according to senior coach Jye McLaughlin.
DESPITE not making finals this season, Camperdown’s division one cricketers can hold their heads high according to senior coach Jye McLaughlin.
Falling just half a game short of the top four and a spot in the finals series, the Lakes’ top side was able to finish the home and away season with a solid win over Noorat last weekend.
“While it’s certainly disappointing not to have made finals, I’m really proud of both our senior sides,” McLaughlin said.
“We’ve pushed the top teams, particularly the top two, in the back end of the season and made them work hard for their runs.
“Our division three side made the qualifier but just didn’t quite get over the line. With wash-outs and abandonments they only had nine qualified to bat but they played the cards they were dealt and did extremely well.”
Last Saturday’s division one game saw the Lakers defeat Noorat by seven wickets.
Opener Tharindu Rukshan added a handy 24 runs to the score board while Harry Sumner was unbeaten on 28.
Camperdown finished its innings on 3/102 while containing Noorat to 97.
Best of the bowlers for the Lakers were Steven Fisher 4/17 off 10, Rukshan 3/6 off seven and James O’Neil 2/34 off eight.
With the cricket season now over for the Lakers, Rukshan will head home to Colombo (Sri Lanka) at the end of next month but works are already in the pipeline for his return.
“We’ve already got the ball rolling to have Tharindu back at the club again next season; he performed really well on-field and was also terrific to have around the club off-field,” McLaughlin said.
“He’s a great bloke and hopefully on his next trip he can bring his wife and their young children with him for a holiday. He has indicated he’s keen to come back so we’ll be working as a club to see that come to fruition.”
The finals campaign for Camperdown’s division three side came to an end last weekend when they went down to Bookaar by six wickets.
The Lakers finished with 5/170, with Bookaar victors on 4/174.
Darren Payne and Shane Stephens both added a creditable 67 runs to the board while Rick McKenzie was unbeaten on 17.
Wil Absalom 3/39 off eight and Noah Riches 1/21 off five were best of the bowlers.