Winchelsea’s finals preparations take hit
WINCHELSEA’S finals preparations have taken an untimely hit, dismissed for just 119 on day one of its clash against Ocean Grove.
Without the crucial middle-order pair of Mitch Troy and Marc Carson, the second-placed side was soundly found out as Grubbers openers Jackson Kent and Billy Foorde-Engelsman combined to take nine wickets between them.
Troy has succumbed to a hamstring injury and was missed with the bat, while Carson is the leading runscorer of the competition with 490 at an average of 49.
For the Grubbers though, it was a strong comeback after struggling against Wallington last week, highlighting its continuing inconsistent formline.
“We seem to play better against the top sides, beating three of the top four,” captain Isaac Saunders said.
Foorde-Engelsman’s wily mediums started the early collapse, with Winchelsea falling to 3-20.
“They’re (Winchelsea) a side that plays in the ‘V’ a lot more so if you can bowl good lines and lengths you can tie those sides up,” Saunders said. “Our pitch is pretty slow, so it suits Billy who just comes in and bowls outside off swinging away.”
The Grubbers’ opening bowlers went through unchanged until drinks as Tom Stephenson (41) and Matthew Partridge (28) consolidated the total to the tea break.
Saunders brought back his two strike bowlers after tea before the capitulation started as Winchelsea lost 6-3 — from 3-95 to 9-98 — in worrying signs heading into finals.
“I suppose when you’re missing your number four and five you push up a few young kids and sometimes it pays off, sometimes it doesn’t,” Saunders said.
Foorde-Engelsman ended up with 5-38, while Kent snared 4-20.
“Both were a bit down last week, but a couple of early wickets just changes everything,” he said.
The Grubbers had seven overs to survive and will go into this week at 0-17, but striving for the outright isn’t an immediate focus for Saunders.
“To be honest it’ll just be how things pan out — from getting rolled for 83 last game you can’t really go, ‘We’re going to do this, we’re going to do that’. If it’s tight we’ll bat tight, if it’s loose then we’ll look to score, but we mainly just want to finish the year off well.”