Newcomb & District’s new-ball pair in devastating form
NEWCOMB & District coach Andrew Webb has praised his bowlers’ discipline after the Dinos enjoyed a fruitful opening day of their two-day clash with Waurn Ponds-Deakin.
Webb’s team is 1-55 chasing Waurn Ponds’ 189, after a searing start with the ball on Saturday left the Eagles wobbling at 5-42 at Grinter Reserve.
“Jason Robertson (4-47) and Zane (Richter, 2-36) bowled really well,” Webb said.
“We put a massive emphasis on bowling to our plans and sticking to our style and to not get greedy.
“We want to work sides over and bore them out. They lashed at a few that weren’t there and we got the results at the start.”
Robertson and import Richter claimed all five wickets in a devastating opening spell from the new-ball pair, with Richter’s sharp yorker clean bowling Nic Wood (15), leaving Waurn Ponds five down in quick time. However, the Waurn Ponds tail dug in alongside No.6 Indushan Dinuka (42) to engineer a stubborn fightback that pushed the score out to a defendable 189.
Jayden Salmon (20 off 68), Matt Wescombe (10 off 77) and No.10 Sai Dhulipudi (38 off 47) rescued the Eagles from another dangerous position of 7-109 to eventually bat out 63.1 overs.
“They played the line of the ball and the wicket really flattened out as well,” said Webb, who bowled just two overs, claiming 1-11.
“They gave a few half chances, but they didn’t do a heap wrong and batted well, so credit where credit is due.
“If we hadn’t done the work early, they were looking at a lot bigger total, so I’m happy we rolled them on a road in the end.”
Newcomb took 55 runs from the remaining 17 overs in the day’s play, losing only one wicket — Kaidyn Henry (16 at 1-29) dismissed by Troy Oakley (1-18). Chris Byrne (9 not out) and Matt Harrison (20 not out) will resume next week.