11th hour partnership steadies forlorn Cats
EAST Belmont’s battle with Lara is evenly poised after a final-wicket stand of 103 between Danny Hughes (99 not out) and Sam Purdy (14) resurrected the Cats’ innings.
The visitors to Winter Reserve looked down and out when they came together at 9-125, before some defiant rearguard action carried them through to a far more competitive 228.
“Danny batted really smartly and never gave us any more than two or three looks at Purdy,” Lions coach Chris Williams said.
“If we had the field up he cashed in and scored, while he didn’t take the ones to the sweeper until toward the end of the over.
“But you expect that from a really smart cricketer.”
Alex Willerton bowled with genuine pace to create the initial inroads, before Brad McMaster (40) and Dan Weigl (40) began to provide some consolidation for the third wicket.
“Alex was really good for us early and we did a lot of things right,” Williams said.
“Weigl and McMaster took us on and kept going at us.
“When we picked them up either side of break we thought we’d swung it our way.”
The loss of Weigl at 98 was the first in a collapse of 7-27 before the Hughes-Purdy union manifested in a welcome recovery mission.
Unfortunate to miss out on an 11th GCA1 century, Hughes faced 131 balls, while Purdy showed great resolve in hold- ing out for 54 balls in his invaluable 14.
Willerton finished with 5-53 from 18 overs, while Williams claimed 3-75 from 23.
“Alex’s wickets column doesn’t really reflect how well he’s bowled, but he’s been really aggressive which is what we’ve asked of him,” Williams said.
“It’s helped that he hasn’t been hampered by a side strain this summer.”
The Lions shaved 16 from the target with James Diery and Andrew Baars at the crease.