Metro flex their might

A superb batting performance from the Metro under-19 team was the highlight of the day, with skipper Jack Harper dominating with a sublime 87, earning high praise from coach Jarrad Loughman.

“He batted really well,” Loughman said.

“He managed to score all round the ground.

“The start we got off to (0-75 off 15) set the game up for us to come in and score freely at the end.”

Metro’s batsmen all contributed to set an imposing total of 6-308 after 50 overs.

Mark Phelan (40*) and Lincoln Edwards (37) finished the innings off, consolidating their good performances from the opening Twenty20 fixture.

In reply, Country managed a brave 256, thanks to an even batting performance led by Mathew Mitchell (60), Dylan Grandell (41) and day one leading run scorer, James Lidgett (37).

In the under-17 match, a much better performance from Country was unable to halt Metro from taking its second win of the series.

Batting first, Metro got off to a fantastic start and looked destined to post a 300-plus total before they were pulled back by Country bowlers Jake Wood and Zac Merret, who grabbed two and three wickets respectively.

Metro put on another even batting performance as they posted 242, with runs from Jack Blain (65), Jacob Serry (53) and Ejaz Alavi (32).

Metro coach Paul Montgomery said that ‘while it was a pretty good performance, we didn’t capitailise on our good start.’

“It was a little disappointing that we didn’t finish the innings off and bat out our overs,” Montgomery said.

In reply, Country was in the game at 3-90, but a series of poor decisions and poor execution ultimately led to their downfall.

Despite four or five players getting starts, the Country batsmen were strangled by Metro’s tight bowling, dismissed for 150 to finish 93-runs short of the target.

Under-17 Country coach Damien Dunlop praised the manner Alavi controlled and strangled the game during his 10 overs.

“Our effort and intention were unbelievable today,” Dunlop said.

“We bowled and fielded really well in the second half and gave ourselves a great chance to win.

“We improved a lot from day one, and should put in a great performance (on Wednesday).”

All four sides are looking forward to today’s one-day fixture, where conditions are set to be perfect for another competitive display.

Under-19 One-Day Result:

Vic Metro: 6-308 (Harper 87, Phelan 40* Edwards 37, Tonkin 36, Manning 31, Ashkenazi 1-48, Kerber 1-23) d Vic Country: 256 (Dixon 33, Mitchell 60, Grandell 41, Lidgett 37, Ashton 2-70, Denier 1-28, Russ2-48, Taylor 1-45)

Under-17 One-Day Result:

Vic Metro: 242 (Serry 53, Blain 65, Serry 53, Alavi 32, Walker 30) d Vic Country: 150 (Merret 25*, Gribben 2-13, Rushton 2-22)