YOUNG CATS ON THE RISE
GEELONG moved into the Premier Cricket top four for the first time this season thanks to a brilliant display from its inexperienced bowling attack and an unbeaten half-century from Tyler Larkin.
The Cats were wobbling at 6-86, including a collapse of 3-0, against Richmond at Geelong Cricket Ground in pursuit of the visitors’ 147 but a 65-run partnership for the seventh wicket between Larkin and Tom O’Connell, against his former side, guided the hosts to victory.
And with results going its way, Geelong leapfrogged Fitzroy Doncaster and St Kilda to move into fourth with three rounds remaining.
Richmond captain Dom Matarazzo rated the Cats as one of the teams to beat in the flag race.
“They’ve certainly got the batting firepower to do it,” Matarazzo said.
“When you’ve got (Eamonn) Vines, (Josh) McDonald, (Hayden) Butterworth ... they’ve got a good enough top order.
“I don’t see why they can’t go pretty deep.”
Larkin finished unbeaten on 53 and O’Connell was 26 not out as Geelong overcame the loss of spearhead Dom McGlinchey, who is battling a back injury.
Vines (15) also failed to fire for one of the few times this season, underlining the depth in the Cats’ batting order.
Larkin came in when Geelong had lost 3-0 after paceman Marcus Berryman removed Hayden Butterworth (31) and McDonald (5) in quick succession and Angus Boyd was run out for a diamond duck after a mix up with O’Connell.
The Tigers were only one more breakthrough away from getting into the bowlers, but Larkin was nerveless in an almost two-hour stay in the middle, improving Geelong’s record to 9-4-1.
Richmond earlier looked on track for a challenging total at 3-105 but lost its last seven wickets for 42.
O’Connell returned 3-32 from his quota, while Brody Couch (2-19 off seven overs) and Butterworth (2-37 off 9.2) each took two wickets.
Debutant Kieren Helwig finished with 1-28 off seven overs in a respectable start to his career.
Matarazzo said Geelong’s ability to rise when the game was on the line was the difference. “They were able to arrest the momentum we had,” he said.
“Both teams bowled really well, put enough pressure on the batters and they were able in that partnership to absorb pressure and still rotate the strike.
“‘TOC’ (O’Connell) especially was really good when he came in, manipulating the field, working angles getting off strike.”
Geelong meets Prahran this weekend in a thirdversus-fourth match.