Double Header Matchday Results 18/01

Double Header Matchday Results 18/01

21st January 2025

Premier A & C Double Header vs Ex Students

Ex Students hosted C & A Grades in a double header, C’s starting at 9:30am before A Grade played a day/nighter for the first time. Unfortunately the trial novelty didn’t get very far, the lights not required to take effect when the game was already over. It added insult to injury after C Grade had fell short earlier in the day.

PREMIER A GRADE – vs Ex-Students (D/N)

Moe Innings

Starting at 3pm, Moe won the toss and batted in the first day/night match for the Lions. Unfortunately the summer sun wasn’t even close to setting when at 5.10pm, the Lions were preparing to bowl

Rob Phoenix fell second for 16 at 2/24, as one of only two Moe bats to reach double figures. The 2nd wicket partnership of 15 with Andrew Philip (21) was the highest of the inning. The top order lost 2 wickets for 1 run twice (1/24 to 3/25 and 3/38 to 5/39) with a late loss of 3 wickets for 3 runs (6/60 to 9/63). Blandford 8 & Blunt 6* added 12 for the last wicket to see Moe all out for a measly 75 from 37.3 overs at a run rate of exactly 2.00. 

Lee Stockdale returned figures of 3/15 from his maximum 10 overs with Adam Brady also bowling out for 2/17. Jimmy Pryde finished with 2/14 from 8.3, also combining with Brady for a run out. Harris & Matthews took one scalp each.

Ex Students Innings

With 40 minutes to bat before tea, the hosts held back their more recognised names and sent a few of their batters with less accolades out. The Lions pounced to have the Sharks 3/18 at the end of the session. Clint Taylor took 2 wickets (2/11 off 7) & Keenan Hughes had 1 before the break. Hughes (2/18 off 7) quickly had his second following the resumption to make it 4/18.

Harris (11) was caught and bowled by Jordan Shields (1/18 off 5) to see the hosts 5 down at the halfway mark of the target (5/38 in the 16th). Shortly after, Shields nearly had a second but a chance from Battista went through Sheekey’s hands at square leg.

Laytten Smith (0/24 off 6) & Shields bowled through to the completion, going close to the 6th wicket at times but unable to get another breakthrough. Students completed the chase on the final ball of the 25th over, Battista unbeaten on 29* off 33 and Stockdale 12* off 29.

A Grade’s chances are fading fast. Although they sit just 2 points behind 4th, there’s now a 12pt gap to 3rd so unless Morwell can be reined into the scrap, there’s 4 teams fighting for one spot with just a first innings two dayer result between 4th & 7th. Next up is the final one day match as Moe take on league leaders Glengarry who are unbeaten this campaign. Following that match, Moe have 2 day matches against CATS (7th), Morwell (3rd) & Ex-Students (2nd) to close the campaign.

PREMIER C GRADE – v Ex-Students 9.30am

Ex Students Innings

League Leaders Ex-Students batted first and started strongly, taking 35 off the first 7 overs without loss. A wicket maiden from Daniel Farmer (1/22 off 8.) in the 9th was welcomed, as the runs started to dry up, just 7 from the next 6 overs (1/42 off 13) before Thomson started to get back in the groove of scoring. He was skittled by Stuie Palmer for 35 (66) in the 17th. 

Cropley (20) & Hennessy (41) pushed the total beyond 100 with heaps of time left in the innings. Palmer (2/35 off 6) got the breakthrough also bowling Cropley. 

Wickets fell in a late flurry with Biggins taking 3/31 off 6 as Students put the foot down, closing at 7/165 from their 40 overs. Nic Reed also got a wicket (1/13) whilst Garry Edwards was supremely economical with 0/6 off 5. Ron Whitney 0/23 off 8 tightened the screws, economical despite going wicketless for a rare sight on the card.

Moe Innings

David Biggins (46 off just 31 balls, including 9 fours and a six) & Matt Burridge (18 off 34) set the chase off to a blistering pace, putting on 51 for the first wicket. Biggins blasted back to back to back fours off Robertson before getting bowled the next ball. 2 byes on Reed’s first ball faced had Moe 2/70 after just 72 deliveries – 12 overs. At this point, the visitors needed 96 runs off 168 balls.

Then wickets fell and the runs dried up. 5 wickets and 45 runs off the next 20 overs had Moe 7/115, needing 51 off the final 8 overs (48 balls). There was still a glimmer of hope with skipper Garry Edwards at the crease but at 15* off 43, he’d need to get the strike rate moving and fast.

24 were added before Brady Cake (7 off 24) was next out, caught behind trying to go big in the 37th over, now requiring 27 off 22. Seven more to close the over made it 20 needed off the last 3 overs.

Edwards was caught in the deep for 39 (59), 24 off his last 16 balls faced at 9/147 in the following over. Farmer (1 off 5) was last out in the penultimate over, Moe dismissed for 150, going down by 15 runs. Robertson took 5/21 from 8 as Students most prolific bowler with Ferguson taking 2/25 late. 

C Grade could’ve gone top with a win, but remain 3rd, now 6pts behind Students and just half a game behind Toongabbie. The Lions have a two & a half game gap to 5th. C Grade have a league wide bye for Australia Day weekend before the B/C double header return at Centrals on the 1st Feb.

Records & Awards