Crudeli snares five in fiery win over Mt Barker

Another five-wicket haul to Railways fast bowler Nathan Crudeli helped the defending premiers bounce back to the winners’ list with an emphatic bonus-point win over Mt Barker in round 13 on Saturday afternoon.

Just a week after his five-wicket heroics failed to prevent the Tigers from going down to Manypeaks, Crudeli again starred with the ball as he crashed through the Bulls’ line-up.

Chasing 155 to win, the Bulls made a steady start through openers Nathan Crosby and Alex Fergie.

But when Crudeli bowled Crosby on 12, it was the start of a major collapse.

The Bulls lost 6-14 in quick succession as nagging seamer Tim Edmunds, who had been in the midst of some fiery exchanges with his opposition, claimed the key scalps of Fergie (13) and Jeremy Wood (1), while Crudeli bowled Dean Couper, trapped Greg Melia lbw for a duck and dismissed veteran Graeme Wright.

After slumping to 6-38, all-rounder Tim Fitzgerald made 16 and Steven Scott added some late hitting with 12 at No.11, but their side were skittled for 78, saving a double bonus-point result by a single run.

Crudeli finished with 5-25 off 10 overs as he added tail-enders Darcy Wallinger and Matthew Adams to his list of scalps.

Edmunds (2-21) and fellow swing bowler Ryan Tindale (2-28) were also valuable. Earlier, youngster Aidan Dallimore and Mitch Green, who returned from a groin injury, combined for a superb 74-run partnership that rescued the Tigers’ innings.

After winning the toss and batting first, the Tigers slumped to 5-55 at Turf North after three wickets to Tim Fitzgerald had the premiers on the ropes.

Green made a patient 39 before he was bowled playing across the line, while Dallimore was impressive as he ground out his highest ever A-grade score of 31 to guide the Tigers to 7-154 from their 50 overs.

Fitzgerald was the pick of the Bulls bowlers with 3-15 from his 10-over spell and he now has 15 wickets from just six one-day matches this season.

Scott snared 2-15 and fast bowler Jacob Wintle was expensive with 1-41, but took his season tally to 18 wickets as a result.