With the first game back after Christmas and two day matches returning, the regular scenario of mixed availability also returned. The Lions had Glen Sheekey & Jarryd Atkinson playing Day 1 with Andrew Philip & Chris Robinson taking their respective places for Day 2. The Sharks had Tim Cranwell & Hiran Rajapske in for Day 1 to be replaced by Anthony Bloomfield & Benn Zomer next week. Notably, opening bats Riley Baldi (Moe) & Anu Meenakshi (Latrobe) are missing both weeks.
On paper with the changes for both sides, both captain’s minds had to work overtime to consider both options if they won the toss. Ultimately, Noah Kane’s toss fortunes changed to win the first coin flip of 2023, and elected to bat, running the risk of not having top run scorer Philip in the batting card which was already missing 3rd highest run scorer Baldi.
MOE INNING
Kane, as the only batsman in the lineup to have more than 60 runs to his name (191) for the season, tried to make an early impact but was dismissed early for 5 (24) to Gamage. Now Moe were 1/8 on the day without any of the top 3 scorers to date left to bat. Glen Sheekey (1 off 20) had made a rare move up the order to open and was dismissed with no further score, caught off Dobson. Sean Spiteri (5 off 7) followed shortly after to Gamage and at 3/17, the Lions had to be questioning their decision to bat. Gamage’s first spell was both damaging and economical with 2/8 from 8 overs.
Rob Phoenix & Ash Savige steadied the ship with a 54 run partnership, Phoenix (38 off 63, six fours) scoring the majority before succumbing to Dobson. Savige was joined by Callum Grant and the pair added another 62 to the total. Savige’s lengthy innings of 46 off 135 ended when Gamage rattled the woodwork to cost Savige what would’ve been a hard-earned and well deserved half century. The Lions now 5/133 after lunch and the into the last genuine batting pairing before the bowlers were due to bat.
It was a grind for Jarryd Atkinson & Grant as the runs came to more of a trickle but crucially, they were still at the crease. The partnership became the 3rd 50+ run pairing in a row as they added 53 for the 6th wicket. Late in the partnership, Grant brought up his first half century on Australian soil off 116 balls. He faced a further 19 deliveries before deciding he didn’t want to face more balls than Savige did, and was also dismissed on ball 135, caught for 57 in the deep off of Steven Freshwater. Although the Sharks smelt blood in the water, Royce Colgrave at number 8 offered them no delight as he put in a nice cameo of 24* (32) in an unbeaten 40 run stand with Atkinson (37* off 119). After 3/17 start, the Lions put on a further 209* for the loss of 3 wickets. For Latrobe, Gamage finished with 3/39 from 23 overs and Dobson 2/55, also toiling for 23 overs.
Summary
Moe closed the day with 6/226 from 89 overs and have options next week. To revise the options given two dayers haven’t been around for a couple of years; Chris Robinson can replace Atkinson at the crease should the Lions choose to bat the additional 10 overs they are allowed. If Moe bat the full extra 10 overs, it would mean Latrobe would have 79 overs to chase the new total to win or survive the day for a draw. If the Lions cease batting, Latrobe will have the matching 89 overs to chase 227 and any total less would be a Moe win, regardless of wickets fallen.
*Pictured, the 4 batsmen who faced 75.3 overs between them, making 178 runs collectively (L-R Ash Savige, Callum Grant, Rob Phoenix & Jarryd Atkinson).
