Saints scrape home in match where ball ruled bat
ST ALBANS-BREAKWATER survived a top-order collapse to overcome a determined Corio on Saturday.
Set just 106 for victory, the Saints fell to 5-16 at Corio Oval after a wicked opening spell from Brodie Coon (3-21) that saw him on a hat-trick early in the visitors’ innings.
It was left to Jackson Burke (48 not out) and captain Zac Smith (41) to pull St Albans out of the muck, and despite their 76-run partnership coming to an end still 14 runs away from the target, it was enough to get their side across the line.
Saints coach Chris Hester described it as a tough win.
“It was a crazy game. We had them 8-46 and wickets were flying but they ended up getting 105,” Hester said.
“We were pretty confident chasing the runs but we lost our first wicket on the seventh ball and had a mini collapse.
“Jackson Burke and Zac Smith changed the game completely after I snicked off and
Jake Watson snicked off first ball.
“Most hat-trick balls you try to keep out but Zac walked out and hit a big cover drive for four.
“He sees the ball and hits the ball and he got 41 from 27 to change the game, and when Jacko saw Zac doing it, he thought he’d do the same.”
The win moved St Albans to fourth on the GCA 3 table, and
Hester said if his side put together a complete performance it was capable of matching it with the best teams in the competition.
“I don’t think we have played one game where we have played a really good game with bat, ball and in the field,” he said. “But I am more than confident if we put it all together we will be really hard to beat.”