Wild Dogs finish runner up at Country Week

Warragul District Cricket Association’s under 14 team finished runners up in junior country week played in South Gippsland. Round 1 v Traralgon Day one at Loch started with drizzle and was intermittent all day.

The Wild Dogs lost the toss and Traralgon decided to bat.

In tough conditions for bowling, openers Liam Quarrell and Charlie Stern set the trend of good bowling, pitching the ball up and creating plenty of chances without luck.

All the bowlers followed suit and wickets fell at regular intervals, having Traralgon 4/18 and 8/34 before a little partnership enabled Traralgon to get to 47 all out of 30 overs.

All the bowlers did well with Liam MacDonald the pick with 3/3 off four overs.

Other wicket takers were Jai Serong 2/8, Aaron Blanch 1/2, Charlie Stern 1/7 and Nic Caddy 1/11 as well as two run outs keeping the pressure on.

WDCA went out and batted for 10 overs before lunch and were 1/29 after losing Chris Diston for one.

Jai Serong fell for 13 and Charlie Stern for seven just after the Wild Dogs passed Traralgon’s score to see 3/49 in the 18th over.

Aaron Blanch and Harry Stephens then put together a 69-run partnership, punishing the loose ball well until Harry fell for a well-made 30.

With five overs to go Lachie Jagoe (five not out) came to the crease and assisted Aaron Blanch to get the team to 4/136 off 40 overs with Aaron rewarded with a solid 53 not out. Round 2 v Leongatha WDCA took on title favorites and eventual winners Leongatha in round two.

Leongatha won the toss and batted.

The hope was to restrict them to under 130 and after some really spirited bowling and fielding, after 20 overs Warragul had them 2/43.

After 30 overs they were 3/66 but with wickets in hand they were able to post 6/115 off their 40.

This was a great effort from the bowlers with Harry Notman 2/20 being the pick with good spells from Aaron Blanch 1/10, Alex Henshall 1/16, Liam MacDonald 1/14 and Jai Serong 1/23 getting wickets.

Liam Quarrell and Charlie Stern again bowled without luck and Nic Caddy bowled tight at the end of the innings.

The fielding was again excellent with two great catches from bottom agers Nic Caddy and Alex Henshall a highlight.

WDCA got off to a reasonable start after losing Jai Serong early for three, going in at 1/23 after 10 overs.

Unfortunately WDCA lost Aaron Blanch for 11 and Charlie Stern and Ben Dixon early to put the team at 4/24 off 12 overs and in trouble.

A good partnership from Liam Quarrell and Chris Diston gave the Wild Dogs a chance as they moved to 4/68 until Liam fell for a very positive 34.

The Wild Dogs then we lost Chris for a solid 13 and were 6/73 in the 26th over.

Wickets fell steadily as Warragul lost Harry Stephens (five), Lachie Jagoe (two) and Jacob Sandman (four) to leave WDCA 9/87 in the 34th over.

Liam Serong and Harry Notman then worked the ball around until Liam was caught for eight in the 37th over, making WDCA all out for 93 (Harry not out on four). Round 3 v Sale-Maffra The Wild Dogs took on the undefeated Sale-Maffra at the Wonthaggi ground, which was in perfect condition.

After losing the toss and being asked to bowl, the bowlers and fielders went out again to set the trend of making it difficult for the batsmen to score.

Again Liam Quarrell and Charlie Stern opened the bowling impressively to each take an early wicket to have Sale-Maffra 2/12 off six overs.

A partnership of 29 took the score to 41 before Aaron Blanch bowled a batsman to leave SaleMaffra at 3/43 off 20 overs.

The bowling and fielding was excellent and after asking for a big effort to get another wicket over the next five overs, WDCA picked up two run outs in the 21st over to have Sale-Maffra in trouble at 5/47.

After Liam Quarrell took his second wicket and another run out moments later they were again teetering on 7/76 in the 30th over.

Sale-Maffra put on a good partnership until their highest scorer was run out for 33 and then Jai Serong took his first wicket.

A final run out in the last over enabled WDCA to get them all out for 116 in the 40th over in an amazing effort, with five run outs showing the effort of the fielders and the tightness of the bowlers.

After failing to chase 116 a day earlier, Sale-Maffra were very keen to make amends against a strong bowling attack.

Chris Diston and Aaron Blanch opened the batting very positively with good running enabling the scoreboard to tick over and after 10 overs Warragul were 0/34.

The Wild Dogs lost Chris in the 13th over for a good 18 and then Jai Serong joined Aaron and put together a great partnership of 66 until a mix up on the second last ball before the drinks break lead to Aaron being run out for 33 with the score on 104.

With 13 to win off 10 overs, Liam Quarrell hit a boundary then fell for four and Harry Stephens for nought with the score on 109.

Harry Notman joined Jai and they took WDCA past the target for victory of 117.

Jai fell chasing some quick runs for a solid 39 and then Nic Caddy (13 not out with some lusty hitting) joined Harry Notman (five not out) and took WDCA through to the end finishing up of 5/136 off our 40 overs in a great win against good opposition. Round 4 v Bairnsdale Bairnsdale won the toss and elected to bowl.

Warragul began well with Aaron Blanch and Chris Diston taking the score to 22 before Chris was out for seven in the ninth over.

Jai Serong joined Aaron and luckily survived a skied chance before he scored to take the score to 34. Unfortunately, Aaron was run out for 15 in the 14th over.

Charlie Stern came in and made six and then Liam Quarrell arrived at the crease and with Jai took the score to 3/81 after 32.

In a bid to chase quick runs, Jai holed out for a well-made 30 and shortly after Liam fell for 10 (5/82).

Lachie Jagoe and Liam MacDonald started cautiously then started to up the ante in the 36th over before Liam was caught for seven.

Harry Stephens made a quick fire four and Ben Dixon fell next ball leaving WDCA at 8/98 with one over left.

Alex Henshall arrived at the crease and landed some lofty blows to end up nine not out and Lachie four not out and Warragul ended up 8/108 after 40 overs.

Once again Liam Quarrell produced a wicket in the first over (caught by Chris Diston) of their innings.

They took the score to 28 before Liam MacDonald took the key wicket of Farley for 17 (2/28).

Jai Serong then trapped the new batsman leg before wicket to have Bairnsdale 3/29 after eight.

After reaching 3/40 after 10 some tight bowling enabled Aaron Blanch to get the next wicket (4/40) and WDCA were right in the game.

A good partnership enabled Bairnsdale to reach 81 before Harry Notman removed both batsman to give Warragul a chance at 6/82.

Liam Quarrell returned to the crease and picked up his second wicket to have Bairnsdale 7/95 only to see two lusty hitters take some risks and get good rewards as they passed the Wild Dog’s total in the 36th over.

The Wild Dogs gave a couple of the guys that hadn’t bowled much a bowl and Harry Stephens and Alex Henshall both took wickets to see Bairnsdale end up on 9/139 off their 40 overs. Round 5 v Central Gippsland Out of contention for the title, WDCA took on Central Gippsland at Outtrim on the final day.

After losing the toss and being sent in to bat, the Wild Dogs lost Chris Diston with the score on seven, then Aaron Blanch and Jai Serong took the score to 49 before Jai was caught behind for 10 in the 18th over.

Liam Serong joined Aaron and they put on 28 before Aaron was caught for a wellmade 46.

Liam Serong was the next to go for 12 with the score on 4/91 off 28 overs.

Liam Quarrell was starting to hit some big balls and was joined by Charlie Stern as WDCA tried to increase the scoring rate.

Charlie was run out for seven (5/111) before Ben Dixon joined Liam and they put together a quick 45 run partnership off 30 balls before Ben fell for nine.

Harry Stephens and Alex Henshall (both four off two balls) and Jacob Sandman sacrificed their wickets in search of quick runs.

Liam Quarrell fell in the 39th over for a quick fire 54 (including seven fours and two sixes) to set up the score of 165 off 40 overs.

The Wild Dogs started well with the ball with Liam Quarrell bowling key batsman Connolly for three to have the score 1/8 in the fifth over.

Some very tight bowling meant Central Gippsland were in trouble at 1/13 off 10 (Liam Quarrell 1/7 off four and Charlie Stern 0/4 off four).

Liam MacDonald and Jai Serong kept the pressure on with tight bowling leading to wickets (3/12 to Liam and 1/10 to Jai) that left Central Gippsland 5/38 off 20 overs.

Aaron Blanch 1/18 off five and Harry Notman 0/16 bowled well to keep up the pressure and have Central Gippsland 6/68 off 30 overs.

Jacob Sandman (0/4 off two), Nic Caddy (1/2 off three) and Alex Henshall (1/4 off 1.5 overs) finished the job for WDCA with the assistance of two good run outs to leave Central Gippsland all out for 78 in the 37th over.