Bulls’ attack rips through Lions
A devastating bowling performance from Mt Barker has lifted them to third place on the Albany Cricket Association A-grade ladder, claiming a bonus-point win over Royals as the one-day competition now takes a break until December 23.
The Bulls joined the A-grade competition this season and have been impressive in the five completed rounds so far, but never more so than during their superb bowling performance against fellow newcomers the Lions.
Led by fast bowler Jacob Wintle and experienced seamer Tim Fitzgerald, the Bulls had the Lions in trouble early on.
Matt Wolfe was the only top- order batsman to reach double figures but his knock ended on 16 after chopping on a ball from Wintle.
From there, the Lions collapsed as they lost 6-29 following Matt Wolfe’s dismissal, leaving when Fitzgerald (4-9) made a mess of the middle order.
Fitzgerald’s spell of nine overs conceded just two runs off the bat as he trapped Lions skipper Jack Hastie, youngsters Tom Wolfe and Ted Batchelor all leg before and bowled veteran Ian Attwell.
Big hitter Scott Worsfold dug in and, with tailender Cameron Newbold, the pair frustrated the Bulls for almost 20 overs to save the Lions from disaster.
It was slow going for the pair as they hunkered down to halt the Bulls’ destruction before Worsfold upped the ante to reach his first A-grade half century.
The pair shared in a vital 75-run stand before Worsfold, who had smacked two sixes and five fours, was caught in the deep on exactly 50 with two balls left in the innings, while Newbold’s unbeaten 17 helped the Lions reach 9-136.
Wintle (2-26 from nine overs), Jeremy Wood (1-10 from nine) and Steven Scott (1-28) joined Fitzgerald with impressive figures for the Bulls.
The Bulls were never in any real danger in their run chase as openers Alex Fergie and Nathan Crosby put on 66 runs at the top.
Fergie was caught in the deep for 21 and Crosby fell on 43 soon after but Wood (34 not out) and Fitzgerald (17 not out) helped the Bulls cruise to victory.
Fitzgerald whacked two sixes and a four from one over to all but end the contest, the Bulls winning with seven wickets to spare in the 36th over.
Jack Hastie was the pick of the Lions’ bowlers with 2-25 from his nine and Jeremy Ellis took 1-14 but they slumped to a third loss of the season. The one-day competition will now break for the upcoming rounds of the Twenty20 competition.
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