By Russell Bennett
Away from the sights of most local fans, West Gippsland teams have been excelling in recent weeks at the higher levels of local cricket, with the WGCA’s Under 21 side undefeated through the first two rounds of the Victorian Metropolitan Cricket Union’s (VMCU) Neil Wright Shield – including a superb victory on Sunday over last season’s reigning champion, Ringwood District.
After a particularly young WGCA outfit closed out an outstanding win in Round 1 over their local rivals from the MPCA, Greg Bethune’s side backed that up against Ringwood at Bayswater Park on Sunday.
Skipper Zac Chaplin (from Pakenham) shone with the ball with 3/27 while Lions team-mate Dan Vela (2/10), Cardinia’s Josh Browne (2/12), and Merinda Park’s Mitch Thomas (2/26) were the other multiple wicket-takers as they dismissed Ringwood for 125 in 31 overs.
With the willow, Travis Wheller capitalised on his strong form at club level for the Bulls with an impressive unbeaten 65 as West Gippsland reached 4/130 in 26 overs in a rain-affected clash.
The WGCA will next face Southern Bayside at Bonbeach in a battle of the competition’s two undefeated sides. Bethune’s side came out on top the last time the two leagues faced off in Round 3 of last season’s competition.
In the statewide Twenty20 competition, Pakenham recorded a commanding win over the Pines in their Region 8 clash at Eric Bell Reserve last Wednesday.
The Pines won the toss and batted first on the vast expanses of their home deck and sat in a seemingly strong position at 1/60 from their first nine overs, with opening batsman Rhys Chalkley the first to fall at 1/45 – caught superbly by Jack Anning in the deep off Zac Chaplin. His opening partner Harley Peace-Stirling top-scored with 35 but was the only other Pines batsman to offer any real resistance. His fall at 2/74 triggered a stream of steady wickets which resulted in the home side posting just 9/127 from their 20 overs. A stellar all-around performance with the ball from the Lions – led by two wickets apiece from Tom Tyrrell and the spin of Jason Williams – was backed up superbly by three outstanding runouts.
Pakenham’s chase got off to a rocky start, losing Nic Close at just 1/7, but his opening partner Tyrrell combined with Chaplin to compile a 30-run stand to steady the ship.
Then, from 2/37, Lions skipper Dom Paynter joined Chaplin to put on another telling stand – this time taking Pakenham to within sight of victory thanks to a series of boundaries, many of those through the leg side from shorter deliveries.
Led by a man-of-the-match winning knock from Chaplin, the Lions ultimately won by six wickets – finishing on 4/128.
