Country and Metro day five report

So we had mixed preparations for day five with the under-19s still in two-day mode, whilst both the Invitational XI and the under-17s prepared for a T20.

UNDER 19s

It was déjà vu for Country when Kieran Elliot struck early, nicking off Curtly Balshaw who didn’t add to his overnight score and Metro had restored normality.

But skipper Luke Ford and new man McCann dug in and the score slowly began to rise and by the end of the 54th Country were 5-167 with Ford 32 and McCann 17.

Bowlers Josh White and BQV2 (Shea Gribben) toiled away on a pitch becoming more like a batsman’s wicket as any shine that was left began to leave the ball.

White struck though going through the defences of skipper Ford for 37 and Country were 6-174 in the 57th over with a collapse seeming imminent.

Bomber Tom O’Donnell and McCann ensured that didn’t happen and built another partnership and got through to drinks six wickets down.

Whilst the boys on the sidelines frolicked with new made friends – a couple of lovely young dogs that trotted across the oval – the game became more and more tense as White had a wicket off a no-ball.

Country stayed in the game and with 15 overs to go they required 90 runs and had four wickets in hand.

But as they had all week, they lost a wicket at a key time, and McCann was run out by opposing skipper Ejaaz Alavi for 34 and Metro had wrestled back control.

Bombers Callum Nankervis and Tom O’Donnell continued to go about chasing the total and both landed some big blows of fellow Bomber Nish Perera and Country bought up the 200 in the 68th over.

Perera struck back bowling O’Donnell and Country were 8-218.

Unfortunately that was the end of the line for Country as Alavi and Perera cleaned up the tail and they were all out for 223.

They showed positives and seemed to have learnt from earlier in the week and looked far more comfortable in the 80-over format.

METRO BOWLING: Perera 3-53(15) Elliot 3-43(10)
COUNTRY BATTING: Balshaw 50, Billington 38, Ford 37, McCann 34

UNDER 17s

With the spoils already Country’s, today’s T20 was more a chance for Metro to get some points on the board.

And leading their chase for respect were openers Damon Egan and Tharash Attanayake, ready to deliver some big hits off the bowling of the Crane, Xavier Crone.

But it was his bowling partner the wily Angus Boyd who struck fooling Attanayake to have him stumped for three.

It didn’t get much better for Metro as Josh Hudson and Chris Diggle as Boyd unravelled them as well to have 3-8 (4) and when Brodie Symons dismissed Damon Egan, Metro were 4-18 in the 8th over.

Ben Roughsedge and Mark Butler attempted a counter attack and got the score motoring to a more substantial 4-54 in the 13th over.

Some good strokeplay was brought to an end when Symons struck again and Metro was back to 7-79 heading into the last over.

Some dubious running and good striking from Noah Korkolis helped Metro get to a target the bowlers could bowl to finishing 7-89.

Country were understandably brimming with confidence as they came off the field that would go 4-0 up.

Symons and Underwood opened up and were both back in the pavilion pretty quickly as Hudson and Blake Parsons took early poles.

A mini partnership from Jakob Tidyman and Cameron Brown got Country back on track before the Yogi Bear Jonah Koch delivered an amazing spell of 4-5 (4) to have Country reeling at 6-41 after 11 overs.

Mark Butler struck two overs later and at 7-49 Country were shell-shocked and panic set through the ranks.

In a bold move, the Metro skipper bought on leg spinner Jack Gilbert in a very 50-50 situation.

Country’s Iceman Ryan Hartley was still at the crease and along with the Crane he began to creep closer and closer to the target.

After a few lusty blows from Crone, Country were back in front of the run rate and required just 14 from the last four overs, and with Iceman Hartley at the wicket any good money was on the clean sweep.

And deliver he did, hitting Lachlan Downes through cover point to bring up the victory and let Country bask in their glory, winning comfortably in the end, seven wickets down.

METRO BATTING: Butler 22, Roughsedge 24
Bowling: Koch 4-5(4), Parsons 1-12(4)
COUNTRY BATTING: Crone 22, Hartley 22
Bowling: Boyd 3-8(4), Symons 3-11(4)

INVITATIONAL XI

Over at Cobram, ACT were setting out level the series two games apiece, and after Coach Tim McCaskill had changed the Victorian batting order around their chances would’ve been slightly higher.

ACT won the toss and batted, and although starting well, they were in a shaky position at 4-40 after just nine overs.

And on a good deck out at Bank Street, they weren’t happy with that start.

In a desperate attempt to get out of the hole they had dug themselves, ACT attempted to hit their way out of trouble.

A bold strategy, crazy enough to work??

Nope, not at all, as the Invitational XI steamrolled the rest of the ACT side to dismiss them for 76 and looked set to wrap up the series.

The Vics went out and experienced an equally shaky start to ACT and the game seemed like it could go either way at the end of the six over power play.

But some solid batting from roommates Kade Burns and Tyson Freeman got the Vics over the line and a 3-1 victory across the week.

VICS BATTING: Burns 24, Freeman 16
BOWLING: Therlfell 3 wickets, Bowe 3, Turner 2, Freeman & Van Der Merwe 1 apiece.

All in all the week was a big a success.

Friends were made, skills were learnt and games were played.

A massive a thankyou too all the support staff both from Cricket Victoria and especially the Barooga Cricket Club staff, who were absolutely unbelievable with their hospitality and cheerful smiles.

The curator’s effort on Thursday was out of this world, and we all cannot wait to return again.

So until next time, good luck, goodbye and #vicsdoitbetter.