Opening duo’s centuries foundation of win
TWIN centuries from opening batsmen Mitchell Troy and Kurtis Marsh helped Winchelsea to a commanding 107-run victory over St Leonards.
Captain Troy and import Marsh carried their bats in the 40-over innings on their way to an incredible unbeaten opening stand of 255.
Marsh, who is Winchelsea’s overseas recruit, arrived in Australia on Wednesday and showed no signs of rustiness or jet lag on his way to a chanceless 121 not out.
Troy watched on at the other end as his new teammate took apart the St Leonards attack through genuine cricket shots in a brilliant exhibition of opening batting.
“He batted really well. His shots went along the ground for most of the day,” Troy said of Marsh’s innings.
“He held the strike when he had to and when the bad ball came he put it away to the boundary.
“We trained through the rain on Thursday night to make sure he had a hit and he got a bit of a bowl, but to come out here for his first hit and bat the way he did was unbelievable to be honest.”
Troy (103 not out) notched his first century of the season in the last over of the innings after giving St Leonards a couple of chances to remove him overs before.
“I sort of knew what I was on but it was more about us making as many as we could,” he said.
“I gave them a couple of chances later on in the innings which they missed, but I can’t remember a game of cricket where it’s been none-for at the end of the innings.”
Set an arduous task, St Leonards in reply could only muster 7-148, with Troy also starring with ball in hand, taking 2-17 off his eight overs.
Justin Wright and Cameron Roberts started the innings in emphatic fashion, hitting multiple boundaries but the target was too high for any realistic chance of a stirring run chase.