Magpies still nest at top of the table
TOP-OF-THE-TABLE North Geelong has delivered the most complete team-bowling performance of its season to inflict a 33-run defeat on reigning premier East Belmont.
However, the battle of the competition heavyweights could have gone either way after East landed a number of early blows to have the Magpies’ innings in the balance at 5-77, after being sent in.
Brayden McGregor (56) countered the attack, digging in with Mitch Troy (34) for a game-shaping 76-run partnership that provided the bulk of North’s 180.
Dylan McMahon (3-55) was East’s best-rewarded bowler, although David Lineen (2-13), Jack Jenkins (2-25) and Tom Elliot (2-28) all chimed in.
“We were in a bit of strife before Brayden and Mitch put us in a much better spot,” North captain Tom Mathieson said. “Brayden’s been putting in the work, so it’s good to see him getting the reward, with back-to-back half centuries.
“We felt that 180 is defendable at North if we could start right, which we did, choking them early, setting ourselves up to finish well.”
The Lions’ reply started poorly, with a steady flow of wickets reducing the fourthplaced line-up to 5-46, before an innings-high partnership of 43 between twins Hayden (38) and Dylan (20) McMahon.
“The McMahons batted really well, but I knew if we could limit boundary balls we could force them to go deep and that’s exactly what we did,” Mathieson said.
“They weren’t whacking boundaries, but they were doing what they needed to do to stay in the game.
“That was by far our best bowling performing as a team as not one bowler let up and let a batsman get away.”
Despite some late-order resistance by the Lions, Mathieson (3-22), Shaun Kingwell (224), Alistair McCann (2-28) and Mitch Troy (2-42) all played their part in claiming the six points.
“I knew how deep they bat, so I thought if we could get some early poles we had the potential to choke them at North,” Mathieson said.