Ashfield found its groove with the ball against Wallan, but weren’t able to back it up with the bat in the Gisborne and District Cricket Association’s B-grade competition on Saturday.
After conceding 300-plus runs the last two rounds, Ashfield went back to the basics as it looked to halt the Magpies which had been batting well.
Ashfield president Nathan Anderson was thrilled with the response from the playing group, which bowled the Magpies out for 116 in the 45th over.
“Everyone was rapt after two consecutive games conceding 300,” he said.
“We pretty much last week went back to the basics and focusing on line and length. It was really good.”
Jason King was the pick of the bowlers for Ashfield taking three wickets, while Brenton Hanson made 52 for the Magpies.
Despite a spring in its step after the bowling performance, Ashfield weren’t able to continue the momentum with the bat.
At stumps, it was in trouble at 5-43, still 74 runs short of first innings points.
Anderson said they still had confidence they could make the runs and get the points.
“We’ve still got Jas King at the crease and there’s some experienced players still to come.
“We’re pretty confident of getting it done, but you never know with cricket.”
A win would cap off a tough start to the season for Ashfield. After a win in round one, its played the three teams which have been the standouts this season.
Anderson admits it has been tough start to the season, but hoped wins would start to come in the lead up to Christmas.
He said there was positive signs with the club’s other two sides. The second XI is undefeated while it’s third side is coming along nicely without getting the wins.
In other B-grade matches, Shannon McDorman century has guided East Sunbury to its second 300 plus score of the Gisborne and District Cricket Association B-grade season.
After a less than ideal start for the Thunder with Liam Sherlock out for a duck, the Thunder made its way to 4-86 with the Riddell bowlers looked in control.
With the innings at a point it could go either way, McDorman and Jay Brockman put on a partnership of 126 to take the Thunder past 200.
After the loss of three wickets, including both the set batsmen, the Thunder tailed fired to take the Thunder to 7-302.
McDorman top scored with 114, while Brockman (69) and Jaxon Mobilio (52 not out) also scored 50s.
David King took three wickets for the Bombers.
Four of the five matches in B-grade had teams posting big scores, in what is becoming the norm in this competition this year.
Gisborne made 7-327 against Kyneton with skipper Callum Jackman making 126 at the top of the order for the Dragons.
Macedon has a chase on its hands against Bacchus Marsh, with the Bulls batsmen enjoying the perfect batting conditions.
All the Bulls batsmen got starts, with two players passing 70 and another two making 50s.
Nathan Aikman and Brendan McGeady took two wickets each for Macedon.
The two biggest run scorers so far, Eynesbury and St Anthonys are doing battle, and there plenty of runs made on day one.
The Saints posted 297 with Simon Blanks making 93, leaving the Eagles with a massive run chase. The Castle brothers, Luke and Hayden, took seven wickets between them.
