Day 1 vs Churchill
A weakened side on paper due to unavailability travelled to Churchill to face the Cobras, who the Lions have not beaten in one or two day cricket (5 losses) since the LVDCL merge. The Cobras won the toss and batted.
Churchill Innings:
The morning session was highlighted by a couple of excellent bowling partnerships from the Lions. Firstly, Royce Colgrave (2/14) and Rob Phoenix (2/16) reduced the Cobras to 3/3 in the 4th over. The home side recovered to 4/56 off 24 by the drinks break.
Following the intermission, Callum Grant (4/9) & Robert Blunt (2/7) combined to take 6/16 off 12.2 overs to dismiss Churchill for 72. The Cobras’ dangerous skipper John Keighran top scored with 27, but off 74 balls as the Lions did very well to keep his strike rate to just 36. The 7th, 8th & 9th wickets of Ceeney, Flanigan & Keighran across different overs saw Grant take his first hat trick for Moe 
Moe Innings:
Moe had to face a short period before lunch and lost skipper Noah Kane (7) the last over before the interval. Keighran took 3 wickets (Pheeney 1, Baldi 2 & Phoenix 2) to reduce the Lions to 4/45 as the small chase started to become difficult. Andrew Philip & Callum Grant (8) saw the Lions through to take the first innings. Royce Colgrave (13) offered a cameo in support of Philip, who notched up his 10,000th 1st XI run and 55th 1st XI half century along the way. Philip (71) became the first of four scalps in quick succession for Chris Williams (4/4) as he also dismissed Spiteri (7), Colgrave (13) and Shields (6). Blunt (1*) & Lachlan McKenzie (0) saw the Lions through to stumps, the latter being dismissed by Warr (2/18) within the 10 minute innings change allowance. Moe all out for 132. Extras 2nd top scored with 14.
The Lions take a 60 run first innings lead into Day 2 which will commence with Churchill batting, with the job only half done and all results still possible. Blunt & McKenzie sub out for bowlers Aaron Johnstone & Clint Taylor for the second week whilst the Cobras have a couple of changes of their own.
