Merrivale captain Joe Kenna knows the kind of luxury he has at his disposal when champion pace bowler Matt Petherick has the ball in his hands.
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The first-year Tigers skipper played under Petherick in a golden premiership era for Russells Creek and understands his game inside out.
It's why Kenna was not surprised by the right-armer's match-winning display in the Warrnambool and District Cricket Association division one thriller against West Warrnambool.
Petherick - Merrivale's coach - sent down 22 overs for figures of 7-56 in the Tigers' one-wicket win, which saw them successfully race down 186 in a thrilling end to day two on Sunday, February 4.
"As everyone knows, he's one of the best bowlers in the league by a country mile," Kenna said.
"He's shown his numbers over the last couple of years. I'll just back him to do his own thing and he can tell me what he wants. He's captained, now he's the coach of us and he's one of the best for a reason.
"He's one of those blokes who'll just keep bowling. Anytime you need him, you just give him the ball. It's so easy to work with Matt this year.
"As a cricketer it's unreal to have him at your disposal. When you need a wicket, you just give him to him."
The spinner, who bowled 29.5 overs himself to snare 3-52 and made 25 not out to help seal the run chase, said it was an incredible game of cricket.
"It's the best wicket I've ever seen at West Warrnambool, so credit to them. We've actually had some tight tussles with West and it was a real pleasure to be part of this game of cricket," he said.
"It was a gritty win, not a conventional win, I said that after the game. A lot of boys went in and got good starts and got out but we got the win.
"It's an unreal deck."
West Warrnambool captain Ben Threlfall struck 67 to lead the way for the Panthers.
In other division one results across an action-packed weekend, Northern Raiders sprung arguably the upset of the season, knocking off premiership hopeful Port Fairy away from home.
The Raiders - led by captain-coach Jimmy Elford (4-44) and Charlie James (3-14) - set the game up with a blistering opening spell of bowling which saw the usual fluent Pirates fall for 86.
Despite a wobble or two, the Raiders reached 7-184 before sending the Pirates back in who finished 6-176 in their second dig.
Nestles premiership skipper Jacob Hetherington, meanwhile, almost single-handedly dragged his team to victory but Allansford-Panmure got the points by the barest of margins. The reigning league best and fairest winner struck a glorious 133 off 151 balls - his second division one century - and snared four wickets on the opening day but the Gators defended 202, bowling out The Factory for 201.
Brierly-Christ Church (10-147) defeated Wesley Yambuk Titans (10-141 and 2-49), Mortlake (221 and 7-132) inflicted Russells Creek (10-116) with a tough loss and Dennington (10-114) were too strong for North Warrnambool Eels (10-73 and 4-205).
Nick Creely
Sports reporter with The Standard
Sports reporter with The Standard
