By Tara Murray
East Sunbury was able to go big with the bat against Macedon in the Gisborne and District Cricket Association Johnstone Shield on Saturday.
The Thunder made 9-303 from their overs.
Thunder skipper Lance Watts said it was finally good to get some runs on the board in the longer format.
The Thunder have tied and lost their two two-dayers before this match.
“We’ve just struggled to change from the one-dayers to the two-day game,” Watts said.
“We keep getting starts, but not going on with it and batting out the overs until yesterday.
“Nothing has changed, but things were able to work.”
The Thunder got off to a good start through Watts (39) and Steve Grey (25), before losing a few wickets. At 4-90 the game was evenly poised.
Josh Smith and Brody Watts came together and put on 112 and put the game back on the Thunder’s terms.
The Thunder’s lower order stuck around to help get the score to 9-303.
Smith was the standout, scoring 106. It’s his first century for the Thunder and his first since the 2014-15 season when he was at Sunbury United.
Watts said it was great to see Smith go big and break through to get the 100.
“We knew that he had the talent and ability, it was about him being out there long enough,” Watts said. “To get his first century for the club, he’s happy to tick that box.”
Lachlan Wilkins produced his highest score, scoring 50 not out coming in at number eight.
Darcy Doyle took 4-36 for the Cats to be the pick of the bowlers.
PHOTO GALLERY: East Sunbury vs Macedon
A win is vital for the Thunder, having slipped outside the top four after losing in the previous round.
Watts said they know they are still a work in progress and that things would take a while to come together with a lot of new pieces of the puzzle.
“We spoke about it before the game, that we needed to get back on the winners’ list,” he said.
“Hopefully we can put a couple more wins on the board before Christmas.”
In other matches, ladder leaders Rupertswood were bowled out for 154 against the Sunbury Kangaroos.
Captain-coach Andrew Pizaro top scored with 40, while Nathan Anderson continued his good form with the ball, taking 3-27.
Gisborne has already claimed first innings points against Bacchus Marsh.
Youngster Josh McDonald took 5-23 as the Dragons bowled Bacchus Marsh out for 93.
The Dragons were 4-107 at stumps. Sunbury United made 9-206 against Wallan, with Adam Billinghurst finishing 76 not out.
