Five-wicket haul shows Spencer’s red-ball excellence
BELL Park captain-coach Michael Lymer concedes the selection heat is on after Ben Spencer collected five wickets in Saturday’s commanding win over Marshall.
As gun all-rounder Shane Lymer smashed 97 and snared 5-28 in a dominant performance in the second XI, Spencer sent a timely reminder of his credentials with the ball in the 128-run win over the Bears in the first XI.
Spencer, who was left out of the team that won the one-day grand final late last year, grabbed 5-53 from 23 overs to help roll his former club for 146.
“He is (going to create issues at selection) and everyone knows that,” Lymer said of Spencer.
“As I have said before, Benny excels at the red ball and (Saturday) proved that. He came out and got five and he doesn’t give up his spot with a performance like that.
“It really puts it (pressure) on the other lads. We’ve got Shane Lymer and Jarrod Andrews sitting in the twos, and Ash Carter, so there’s a few who know that their spots are on the line.
“It’s going to be an interesting couple of weeks, but they’re good problems to have.”
With 274 on the board at Marshall Reserve, thanks largely to Luke Turner’s 96 and Jamie Spiller’s 72 last week, Bell Park tightened the screws on the Bears to end the innings in 64 overs.
“The boys bowled really well,” Lymer said.
“It was a typical Bell Park performance with the ball. We identified that they didn’t like the pace off the ball with ‘Tofty’ (David Toft) picking up five (wickets) last time. With the inclusion of Ben Spencer, he tends to excel with the red ball and it came to fruition.
“He (Spencer) excelled against his old mob and he bowled outstanding.” Spencer was made to bide his time before his matchwinning spell, waiting for openers Mitch Trask and Michael Lymer to complete more than 20 overs.
“It took him three or four overs to find his line and find a spot and then he started building pressure,” Lymer said.
Shane Lymer is guaranteed to return having dropped a grade due to work. “With shift work it makes it tough for him to commit week in, week out,” the coach said.
“He could only give us one week this round and we thought one week of Shane is better than none and he came out and taken five-for and made 97 off 15 overs, so he’s in some form.
“That’s exactly what he needed, a bit of a hit and a good bowl and he comes straight back in. He’s got a clean run all the way through (to finals) now. He’s changed one shift and he’ll be right for finals now.”
HE EXCELLED AGAINST HIS OLD MOB AND HE BOWLED OUTSTANDING.
MICHAEL LYMER ON BEN SPENCER