THE Cross Border Cup has returned to South Australia for the first time in four years following a low-scoring affair at Port Fairy yesterday.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
After reducing Warrnambool and District Cricket Association (WDCA) to a rabble yesterday, Mount Gambier and District Cricket Association holds a 2-1 advantage in the annual grudge match.
The host failed to endure its 50 overs at Port Fairy, instead being skittled for 95 in the 43rd over.
Captain Ben Boyd (12) was one of only three WDCA players to reach double figures, with Englishman Will Chapples (27) top-scoring for the side.
“The wicket was very hard to bat on but we just didn’t bat well enough,” Boyd said.
“If you’re not making 100, it’s nowhere near enough.”
Warrnambool and District’s innings was punctuated by losing 5-11 to slump to a dismal 8-52, while ducks to opener Cameron Williams and tailenders Matt Brophy and Hank Schlaghecke hurt the side.
Opposing captain Kieran Ashby described the wicket as slow.
“We rolled them over fairly quickly until Will Chapples put on the resistance and stuck around for 20-odd overs,” he said.
“I thought their score was a little low but possibly competitive because of the type of deck it was.”
The wicket suited versatile Mount Gambier bowler Ben Clark, who can deliver medium-pace, top spin and leg spin and finished with match-best figures of 3-11 off 10 overs.
Teammate Michael Johnston was the most damaging with the bat, top-scoring with 32.
“He was the rock of our innings,” Ashby said of the left-handed opener.
Johnston helped steer the South Australians to 6-97, despite the best efforts of Steven Wythe (3-16 off seven overs).
Mount Gambier and District eclipsed WDCA in the 29th over to clinch the cup for the first time.
“It’s always good to play your counterpart on a different deck against some different cricketers,” Ashby said.
WDCA, which claimed the cup in 2008 before the next two years were washed out, is expected to announce its Melbourne Country Week squad this week.
It will feature players from yesterday and last weekend’s triumphant Twenty20 Festival of Cricket side.
“We’ll make sure of the availability of the ones who have played the last two weeks and we’ll also be adding people to the squad,” Boyd said.
We’ll probably start training in January but ask that players do something themselves between now and then.”
