Hyland blasts way to win
POWERFUL opening pair Lewis Hyland and Sam Schaller again proved why they are one of the most feared batting duos in BPCA A1.
Hyland and Schaller put on 65 in no time after winning the toss and batting on Saturday, giving Barwon Heads a rollicking start to set up the 84-run victory over Barrabool.
After Schaller was the first wicket to fall, Hyland carried on to make a swashbuckling 79 as the Seagulls made 4-220 in 40 overs — a total too much for Barrabool to handle at RT Fuller Oval.
“We were pretty much going at eight or nine an over after eight overs,” Barwon Heads coach Jonathan Gill said.
“And we were playing really smart cricket shots and not slogging.
“That’s how they bat … we encourage them to play how best suits their styles. When they’re going they’re really going. When Sam went out, Lewy was almost 50. It’s not a licence as such, they’re just natural stroke-makers.”
While Schaller (19) played second fiddle to Hyland with the bat, he then went at just one run an over with the ball, strangling the Bulls with 3-8 from his allotted eight overs.
Luke Schilling (1-31) claimed the prized wicket of Barrabool captain Kane Pickering for 48, as the Bulls fell well short, finishing their 40 overs on 8-136.
“The bowling was really even. That has matured even from last year,” Gill said.
“We spoke about that it’s not about somebody getting three or four wickets, often it’s the guy at the other end that bowled lots of dots and built that pressure. As we know, wickets come from pressure.”
Teenage gun Charlie Hurst crafted his way to 47 at No. 3 for Heads, and Alex Hickey (35 not out) provided some late impetus to the batting innings.
“It was a really mature knock,” Gill said of Hurst. “He was patient, then built his innings and batted really well with Lewy. We set ourselves up well in those first 10 to 15 overs.”