Competitive clashes in round three of GCL

JUNIORS

THE Leongatha and District Cricket Association hosted Warragul for round three of the U15 GCL and U13 Development League on Sunday, December 8.

U15 JCW round three: Leongatha and District Cricket Association (LDCA) 7/148 defeated Warragul 93 all out. 

The LDCA skipper Eamon Berryman won the toss and elected to bat on a good-looking Korumburra Turf pitch.

Berryman opened with Archie Moore. 

The loss of both openers early brought Tex Dyson and Lou Read to the crease. 

Tex (12) looked in really good form before being caught on the fine leg boundary.  

Read (41) was showing his usual great temperament and with Archie Donohue (27) playing in the same manner the left-handers combined for a match-winning partnership of 74. 
Jed Caddy (11no) and Frazer Livingstone (15no) were both on debut for the U15s then finished off the innings really well with positive batting and running between the wickets to get what the boys thought was a decent total. 

LDCA’s turn with the ball saw Archie Luke and George Edwards open the attack with Edwards claiming the first wicket with what the boys described as an absolute seed. 

Lou Read came on first change with instant success claiming two quick wickets – one via a brilliant one-handed catch by keeper Jonah Foster. 

Max Johnston also chimed in with a wicket to have Warragul 4/20.  

Frazer Livingstone then came on and bowled a fantastic six-over spell of leg spin claiming two wickets with left-arm spinner Archie Donohue claiming another. 

No respite for Warragul with Archie Williams also bowling some nice overs of leg spin before Lou Read and Archie Luke came back on and finished the game off. 

Read ended with four wickets and Luke claimed the last scalp. 

It was a really good team performance with the ball backed up by good fielding and catching.

Jonah Foster with another three catches continues to develop his wicketkeeping every game.  

Coach Dave Newman was pleased with the win and in particular, the bottom-age boys on debut Jed Caddy, Frazer Livingstone and Archie Williams who looked very comfortable at the level. 

Thanks to Warragul for the spirit in which the game was played, Korumburra Cricket Club for the use of their great facilities and providing a great lunch, curator Don MacQueen produced a good cricket pitch for the boys to show their talents with bat and ball. 

Thank you to umpires Les White and Neil Grabham and major sponsor Wonthaggi Toyota for their continued support of junior cricket.

A tie for U13s

U13 Development League round three: LDCA 118 tied Warragul 7/118. 

The U13s game at Outtrim had a bit of everything.

The LDCA boys, batting first, got off to a disastrous start with the in-form Toby Nicholas being run out.

Ollie Joyce was proving a handful as he claimed three wickets to have the LDCA reeling at 6/20. 

Enter Oliver Bolge (32) and Levi Richardson (33) who batted brilliantly, a mix of good defence and punishing the bad ball saw them combine for a 78-run partnership.

Jaxon Eddy played a few nice shots late to get the total up to 118. 

Bolge was then back in the action claiming the first two wickets of the Warragul innings before a really good partnership was formed by Elijah Robinson and Isaiah Glover – both boys batted patiently.

The LDCA bowled well enough to keep the run rate down and at 4/107 and the set batters out the game was certainly up for grabs, with both teams looking the winners at stages it all came down to one run off the last ball to win, a run out eventuated with the scores ending up a tie and the kids no doubt all having an amazing experience. 

Bolge and Ryder Pedlow with two wickets, Sonny Williams and Callum Smith claiming one each for the LDCA. 

Coach Nick Eddy was pleased the boys hung in there after looking out of the game at different stages but pointed out they needed to tidy up their bowling with too many extras being conceded. 

Well done to both teams for a great game of cricket and the spirit it was played. 

Thanks to OMK for hosting the game, their great playing surface and facilities are a credit to all. 

Thanks to all the parents for helping throughout the day, 

Manders Plumbing and Gasfitting and MJA Accounting are also thanked for their continued support of the U13 team. 

Both teams will be back in action when LDCA hosts the Latrobe Valley on January 19 for round four.