PREMIER A GRADE – Day 2 Matchday 13/1 & 20/1
Raiders 1st Innings 103
Moe Innings (continuing at 0/2)
Noah Kane & Jesse Pheeney survived the tricky period of 3 overs before stumps last week to earn the right to continue on Day 2. Thornton had a short 3 over spell opening but the change to Boyd Bailey paid dividends immediately, dismissing Kane (10) with his first ball of the day. Pheeney (11 off 52) outlasted his longest inning of the season (6 off 51 v Ex Students) by one ball before he became Bailey’s second victim to have Moe 2/29.
Andrew Philip (19 off 47) and Riley Baldi (12 off 31) made steady work to get the Lions within 50 of the target but a 3/0 collapse of Philip, Baldi and Phoenix (0) courtesy of Thornton & Cheshire saw the hosts quickly in trouble at 5/55 with the lower middle order exposed. Benn Zomer & Grant added 13 to push the total to 68 but Thornton struck again for his 3rd to dismiss Zomer (6 off 28). Another 11 were added for the 7th wicket before Thornton struck yet again, bowling Josh Keyhoe (5). Cheshire got his second to dismiss Royce Colgrave (1), who was playing his first match since mid November. At 8/80 from 42.1 overs, needing 24 to win, both teams were in the contest but the visitors still had the upper hand. Clinton Taylor was the last batsman to come for Moe and surely nervous in the sheds.
11 overs went past and Moe crawled to 8/94, now needing just 10 to win. 5 runs off the 54th over halved the remainder required, before Aaron Johnstone blasted two fours in the 55th to wrap up first innings points for Moe. With only just over 30 overs of play left, there was no chance for any further result so play ceased immediately upon passing the total. Callum Grant finished not out on 22* off 74 balls and Johnstone 15* off 40. Six batsmen making double figures with Grant’s 22* the highest score.
Thornton did the most damage with 4/35 (19), with Bailey 2/14 (6) & Cheshire 2/31 (17) taking two each.
Moe defeated Raiders in a two day match for the first time since the initial LVDCL merge and move to 2nd on the table with vital points.
Next up is the reigning and last LVDCL Premiers, Morwell on Australia Day and Sat 3rd Feb. Morwell were sitting bottom of a very tight table prior to yesterday when they rolled Toongabbie for just 44 to move out of the relegation zone and within 4pts of finals, with just one result.
