Former England Test player Keaton Jennings made his debut for Gisborne Cricket Club on Saturday, and was involved in a 94-run third-wicket stand that guaranteed the Dragons a comfortable victory over Woodend.
Last season’s grand finalists were scheduled to play in a fifth round two-day fixture at Gardiner Reserve, but rain put an end to that the previous Saturday, reducing the match to a one-day contest that was also affected by rain and wet conditions.
With much advance publicity about Lancashire’s Jennings joining the Dragons, spectators both young and old came down to the ground, doubling numbers that normally would attend.
Losing the toss, Woodend was invited to bat on a day when furious efforts had to be made to mop up excess water on and around the pitch.
The reigning premiers quickly reached 0/43 with skipper Marcus Stewart scoring freely; it was Riley Vernon who trapped Stewart leg before wicket for 31 and the visitors were soon struggling at 4/51.
Gisborne kept the pressure on and it was ultra consistent Warren Else who made an unbeaten 35, and Jacques Du Toit 27, who help drag the tally to 7/129 from 31 overs.
Quality all-rounder Daniel Salpietro claimed 3-20 from six overs.
The Woodsmen needed early wickets, and prolific scorer Jarryd Vernon departed for a rare ‘duck’ off the second ball of the innings from Harrison Sheahan. Hayden Ingleton struck next over and Gisborne was a shaky 2/5.
No need to worry, as experience and class shone through with Jennings and man of the match Salpietro showed their abilities in no uncertain manner.
Jennings contributed 41 and it was left to Salpietro to continue on with an unbeaten 67 in a winning 3/131 (27.5 overs).
Over the next two Saturdays, unbeaten Gisborne play at Macedon and crowd numbers are again expected to soar with Jennings making his first appearance at Tony Clarke Reserve.
Three early wickets — including Bryan Vance — from paceman Jamie Taylor put Romsey in the box seat against Wallan.
The Magpies recovered somewhat to compile 9/172 (Spencer Whittingham 69 not out), and opener Taylor Stevenson’s 61 put the Redbacks on the road to victory, eventually reaching 4/170 and winning under the DLS rules.
BOBETIC SHINES
The battle between Macedon and Eastern Hill at Tony Clarke Reserve was interesting, with the Cats dismissing the visitors for a lowly 127.
Wickets were shared, and the successful run chase which followed was highlighted by William Bobetic’s patient unbeaten 53 in a tally of 3/129.
Rupertswood stole the limelight with a big batting performance against Sunbury United, scoring an important victory.
Opener Damien Edwards scored 133 in his side’s 8/277 c.c. from 80 overs.
Undeterred, Rupo took up the challenge with four batters making their presence felt.
James Curran followed his previous match 86 with a swift 61, the classy Matt Twentyman made 59, coach Kevin Barker 43 and allrounder Joey Boulton 42 with 6/276 coming up in just 48 overs.
PRINCE RULES WITH 155 NOT OUT
Merrifield’s classy Talwinder Prince slammed a brilliant unbeaten 155 from 136 balls as his side easily chased down Riddell’s 190 in Johnstone Shield 1sts.
He had plenty of top-order support as the unbeaten newcomers reached 2/274 before declaring.
Two Romsey batters hit unbeaten centuries in a scoring spree against Broadford in Jensen North A.
Cam Armstong retired on 101 and Daniel Wright on 100 in a huge tally of 3/301 c.c. from 35 overs against Broadford.
Oliver Wotherspoon retired on 101 in Gisborne’s 5/178 in Jensen North B, but determined Trentham batters chased the runs down with one ball remaining.
Hopefully weather conditions for cricket may resume stability this Saturday.
ALL THE SCORES
Scores from Gisborne District Cricket Association matches on Saturday included:
McIntyre Cup 1sts: Woodend 7/129 (31 overs) — W. Else 35 n.o., M. Stewart 31, J. Du Toit 27 (D.Salpietro 3-20) lost to Gisborne 3/131 (27.5) — Salpietro 67 n.o., P/P 41; Eastern Hill 127 — B. Speechley 25, O. Bryant 23 lost to Macedon 3/129 — W. Bobetic 53 n.o., Z. Smitten 26; Sunbury United 8/277 — D. Edwards 133, S. Fogarty 46, J. Dillon 42 n.o. (J. Boulton 3-11) lost to Rupertswood 6/278 — J. Curran 61, M. Twentyman 59, K. Barker 43, Boulton 42; Wallan 9/172 (44 overs) — S. Whittingham 69 n.o., B. Fowler 21 (J. Taylor 4-43) lost to Romsey on DLS 4/170 — T. Stevenson 61, M. Milne 36, B. Way 28 n.o.
McIntyre 2nds: Romsey 7/119 (28 overs) — M. Hoyt 55 n.o. (B. Funnell 3-16) lost to Wallan 6/120 — B. Hanson 38; Woodend 8/185 (40) — J. Bannan 79, J. Pettigrew 31, G. Matthews 30 (H. Brown 3-23) lost to Gisborne 7/186 (39.5) — S. Carroll 34, G. Bennett 34; Macedon 72 and 5/119 — F. Hewitt 45, I. Bobetic 30, A. Page 28 (B. Loweke 3-10) lost to Eastern Hill 4/241 dec. — M. Brown 93, J. Speechley 77 n.o.; Rupertswood 153 d Sunbury United 80 — G. Welikalage 26 (R. Bennett 5-26, H. O’Donovan 3-24).
Johnstone 1sts: Riddell 190 and 2/76 — M. Day 32 n.o. lost to Merrifield 2/274 dec. — T. Prince 155 n.o., C. Joshi 52, R. Dhillon 34 n.o., S. Singh 28; Eynesbury 133 and 3/31 lost to Broadford 9/178 dec. — J. Zerella 101, B. Hickey 30 (C. Connelly 3-35); Lancefield 8/160 — Harvey Lehner 41 n.o. (J. King 3-13) d Sunbury Kangaroos 129 — A. Fearnley 37 n.o., P. Mann 30 (Harrison Lehner 3-17); Kilmore 6/120 (32) — J. Walton 41, O. Taig 25 (S. Kapadia 3-14) lost to East Sunbury 7/121.
Johnstone 2nds: Riddell 9/133 — R. Barclay 46, R. Burnside 23 (V. Mehta 3-18) lost to Merrifield 6/137 — A. Chohan 38, A. Singh 31; Kilmore 6/197 — D. Mcnicholas 81, S. Burns 29 d East Sunbury 9/132 — A. Shukla 47; Broadford 120 — J. Walsh 31 d Eynesbury 111 (S. Mitchell 5-18; Lancefield 122 — D. Mallia-Hogan 28 (A. Aishh 3-16, G. Singh 3-17) d Sunbury 109 — A. Singh 52 n.o.
Jensen North A: Romsey 3/301 — Cam Armstrong 101 ret, D. Wright 100 ret, J. Day 49 d Broadford 5/106 — J. Lovell 50 n.o; Wallan 7/111 (26) d Malmsbury 7/109 — P. Wickramasinghe 33, M. Pruden 32 (C. Vecchie 3-13); Kilmore 80 lost to Rupertswood 5/81; Hanging Rock 8/159 PP 47 — L. Vincent 29 (R. Muller 3-42) d Gisborne 6/156 — H. Mooney 64, J. Lang 44.
Jensen North B: Woodend 6/232 — D. Edwards 65, A. Cavric 50 n.o. d. Blackwood 130 — A. Hand 28; Kyneton 3/206 — S. Dundas 58, L. Arnup 56, Extras 42 d Hanging Rock 104 — M. Shanahan 23 (F. Sutton 3-10, K. Campbell 3-21); Eastern Hill 86 — T. Hanson 23 lost to Malmsbury 8/88 — C. Ganim 29 (T. Maycock 4-17); Gisborne 5/178 — O. Wotherspoon 101 ret., S. King 48 (J. Shaw 3-35) lost to Trentham 9/179 — S. Rizio 39, A. Prewett 28 n.o., D. Wight 28 (B. Freeth 3-19).
Club North: Gisborne 8/158 — S. Sullivan 51 ret. J. Wallace 37, J. Richards 26 d Hanging Rock 4/139 — N. Maxwell 50 ret. P. Connor 35, O. McTrusty 28; Kyneton 8/92 — R. Matheson 23, R. Mether 22 (E. Singh 3-4) lost to Wallan White 0/95 — D. Curran 48 n.o., J. Dodd 37 n.o; Malmsbury 8/148 d Wallan Black 71; Lancefield 5/150 — J. Parker 52 ret., O. Phillips 31 n.o., W. Bannister 25 n.o. lost to Romsey 5/151 — C. Newnham 50 ret., S. Gray 47; Macedon 8/167 — S. Gray 49, R. Black 36 n.o. (A. La Forgia 3-19) d Woodend 7/142 — C. Cairns 37, G. Sullivan 28 (A. Haberman 3-30). Kilmore v Riddell no score listed.
Club Grade South: Eynesbury 8/126 — B. Chamberlain 38 lost to Gisborne 5/128 — T. Williams 50 ret., M. Quinn 42.
GDCA games
McIntyre Cup 1sts sixth round matches in the Gisborne District Cricket Association over the next two Saturdays are:
Macedon v Gisborne.
Woodend v Romsey.
Wallan v Sunbury United.
Eastern Hill v Rupertswood.