Sport
26 January, 2024
Three wickets for debutante
IT was a case of déjà vu for Pomborneit’s division one, A grade side last weekend – playing on the Ecklin ground for the first time since the inaugural South West season of 1996/97.
And just like that day back in late January 1997, the Bulls once again went home with the points.
The home team won the toss and elected to bat.
After a brisk start Finn Tolland broke through, taking a caught and bowled to dismiss Ecklin skipper Tyson Royal.
Shortly after, Sam Darcy dismissed opener Stuart Timms via a good catch from Gavin Reynolds to have the Frogs at 2/24.
A third wicket, an LBW to Tharaka Sendanayake, saw Ecklin at 3/46, but the home team rallied with a strong fourth wicket partnership between veteran Kevin Wines and under 17 Country Week representative Henry Caroll.
Thirteen year-old Josh Reynolds, making his division one debut, had his first spell of bowling at the top level during this partnership, conceding 15 runs from his initial five over spell of leg spin, including two maiden overs.
Danussika Bandara returned to the attack and finally dismissed Carroll, who finished with a well-made 30 from 86 balls.
Bandara and Tolland took the next two wickets before Josh Reynolds returned to the attack to claim his first division one wicket, caught at long-on by Sam Darcy.
The debutante claimed two more wickets to finish with 3/23 from 8.5 overs as Ecklin was dismissed for 155 from 49.5 overs.
In Tharaka Sendanayake’s 1/13 from 10 overs, the off-spinner bowled five maidens and 52 dot balls in a miserly performance.
Despite the early loss of skipper Matt Bignell, the Bulls made it a quick run chase (and a seven wicket win), passing Ecklin’s score in the 19th over.
Opener Dave Murphy was on fire, belting 76 from 35 balls, with 10 fours and four sixes.
Grant Place anchored the innings with an unbeaten 29, Tharaka Sendanayake picked up where Murphy left off and made a rapid 45 from 29 balls with four boundaries and two sixes.
Pomborneit’s division two team lost its second game of the season with an upset 13 run loss to Camperdown at MCP Oval.
The visitors batted first, posting 8/139.
Best of the bowlers were opening bowlers Donnie McInnes (3/22 from eight overs), Hunter Reynolds (2/19 from eight), veteran Dean Tevelein (2/30 from seven) and young off-spinner Fletcher Tolland, fresh off a strong Under 15 Country Week campaign with the ball, who took 1/15 from five overs.
Skipper Matt Richardson made 30 at the top of the order in the run chase, but despite the efforts of number seven Hunter Reynolds, who remained unbeaten on 32, the Bulls fell short.
The division three Bulls were well beaten by Boorcan at Boorcan.
Batting first, Pomborneit could only manage 91 in 34.1 overs.
Skipper Tony Evans was the only player to make double figures with 34 from 78 balls.
The home team chased down the score in the 23rd over for the loss of two wickets; Jhai Gavin and Nellie Sadler taking one wicket each.
On Sunday Pomborneit, as South West Twenty20 champions, ventured to Dennington to take on the home team in the quarter-final of the lucrative knockout Sungold Cup.
Winning the toss and batting, Pomborneit was in huge trouble early on, being 2/2 after eight balls with both openers out.
A 65 run, third wicket partnership between Grant Place and Tharaka Sendanayake looked like setting up a decent score, but once Sendanayake was out for 44 from 28 balls, and Place was out for 20, the Bulls were in trouble.
Apart from a cameo 13 from Sam Darcy the Bulls collapsed, all out on the final ball of the innings for 107.
Dennington attacked early and the result was quickly in no doubt.
Matt Bignell was the only wicket taker with 1/9 from two overs - his wicket a caught and bowled.
Read More: Camperdown