A showcase of tight bowling was the cornerstone of Rovers United Bruck’s six-wicket win over Beechworth Wanderers at WJ Findlay Oval on Saturday.
Bowling first, the Hawks ripped through the Wanderers for just 118 runs from 34 overs, before chasing the total four down in the 24th.
Opening the attack, Will Graham and Jacob Schonafinger were precise with their lines and lengths, not giving the Beechworth openers too many freebies.
The first domino fell in just the third over, when Graham drew Will Prebble into chipping it to Reid McNamara, and Beechworth were 1/6 early.
Runs were few and far between, but it would be Schonafinger who would lead the charge with ball in hand.
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In the sixth over, a massive top edge off the first ball would see the back of the other Beechworth opener, before Schonafinger speared a yorker right into the dangerous Brenton Surrey’s foot, dismissed LBW for a third ball duck.
Graham would continue the trend immediately after, his first ball catching the outside edge of Cam Fendyk’s bat with the catch completed by gloveman Ryan Collier.
In the space of six deliveries, Beechworth lost three wickets for no runs and were in trouble at 4/14, before another Schonafinger masterclass would make it 6/22 after just eight overs.
Beechworth fought back through skipper Matt Ryan, whose gritty undefeated half century, as well as a 79-run stand with number eight bat Taylor Thomson, gave the visitors some hope.
The pair would bat for 18 overs, until Thomson was undone by Jeremy Wilson for 34, and the tail would be mopped up with Beechworth on 118.
Schonafinger was the pick of the bowlers, finishing with 4/6 from his six overs, while Graham (3/21 off six), Wilson (1/7 off five) and Reid McNamara (1/19 off six) contributed well.
Skipper Wilson praised his bowling attack for their efforts early.
“Will Graham started really well again, the old boy ‘Schona’ had a day out, they turned the screws early and had a really good start which put them on the back foot from the get-go again,” he said.
“With the white ball, once it stops swinging and gets a bit softer, it is a bit harder to take wickets.
“Matty Ryan is a pretty good player and he and Taylor Thomson did what they had to do, played pretty straight and kept the good balls out.
“I think at the moment, you’d be looking at high 100s, 180-210 would be a par score at the moment at the Rovers ground – it’s quick, the ground is really quick.”
With bat in hand, Charith Perera’s hot streak continued, pummelling 71* from 70 deliveries, his second consecutive half century to help steer the Rovers to the target.
It wasn’t all smooth sailing for the Hawks – Ryan Collier advanced at a Matt Ryan delivery only for it to cannon into the top of his off stump, removing the keeper for a duck, while Reid McNamara blocked a spinning ball from Jonathan Carson back onto his stumps.
Wilson (11 off 14) and Michael Honman (17 off 42) helped steady the ship and allowed Perera to punish the bowlers should they stray form a tight line and length.
“He [Perera] got lucky in the third over of the day, he skied a pull shot and Matty Ryan put him down, so that was pretty costly for them,” Wilson said.
“After that, he really put his head down and took them apart again.
“He just puts the pressure back on the bowlers, he doesn’t slog it but he’s got so many shots on the off side and the on side.
“The batting’s been pretty solid so far, we’ve only batted for about 45 overs in the two games, but from the batting side, when you get your chance, make the most of it to put pressure back on the bowlers, keep turning the strike over.”
