The Lakers A grade are back on the winners list after an 8 wicket win against City Colts at home on Saturday.
Bowling first, Angus Heslin struck in the third over, nicking off the Colts opener with a good length delivery outside the off stump.
Bowling first change, Van Kreeck bowled with serious pace and bounce, dismissing the opposing captain with a sharp catch taken by Kyle Archibald at first slip.
At 2/39, the Colts put on a 60-run partnership, which was broken by in-form spinner Ben Welsh, trapping Thrum in front lbw.
Brock McCabe took the next, Kreeck taking a catch in the deep.
Welsh had his second soon after, caught by Archibald at square leg. City Colts finished their innings on 6/141.
Batting pair Clarke and Welsh started the Lakers innings in positive fashion, putting on 14 in quick time before Welsh was trapped in front for 11.
Zach Moore came in at number three, and he and Clarke looked to be positive in their stroke play and running between the wickets.
As the Colts spread the field, the pair picked off anything loose and worked the ball into gaps at will.
The pair put on 74 runs before Moore was dismissed bowled for 35, looking to work a ball into the leg side.
Brock McCabe came to the crease and continued his rich run of form, working the ball into gaps and tucking away any wide deliveries.
Clarke carried his bat for the Lakers innings, finishing on 85* from 114 deliveries.
On a slow outfield, his classy innings was one of patience and a brilliant showcase of manipulating the field.
He and McCabe put on 80 for the fourth wicket, finishing on 2/178.
The Lakers finish off the first half of the season this Saturday and Victoria Park against Ovens Valley United.
A Res chase down total with ease
Wangaratta Magpies 92 def by Yarrawonga Mulwala 2/92
This week the Lakers took on the Magpies in Mulwala. Without their fearless leader Brendan Hill at the helm this week, Luke Buerckner took the reins and sent the opposition in to bat.
The task was made even simpler due to the fact of Wangaratta only having 7 players.
An early wicket for Ollie Connell didn’t slow the run rate, as the Magpies batters looked to play their shots and put the pressure back on the bowlers.
This pressure was reversed when lightning seamer Andrew Dishot was introduced into the attack, bowling tight lines and good lengths.
Spin twins Tom Lovel and T.J Docking followed and bowled brilliantly, taking the remaining 5 wickets between them. They set the target of 92 for the Yarrawonga batters. Following a delicious afternoon tea, Fraser Smart and Oliver Cope strolled out to the crease.
Cope made a quick-fire 7 before kicking one and being dismissed. Nehal Tahir joined Smart and looked solid for his 24.
Smart scrapped his way to 20 before unleashing on the Wangaratta bowling attack, belting them over cow corner at will.
The pair chased down the total with ease in just 20 overs.
The A Res boys finish off 2024 up in Myrtleford next week.
B Grade take the win
Milawa 9/82 def by Yarrawonga Mulwala 9/86.
This week B grade travelled to play Milawa in a top of the table clash and after losing the toss, Milawa elected to bat first.
Jyda House and Gary Browning opened up taking 2 quick wickets to have Milawa on the back foot early.
From there Milawa began to dig in putting on a good partnership before Lach Phillips broke through with two quick wickets.
Another partnership formed before Lach got two more to have them in trouble at 7-82. Jyda House was then given his last couple of overs where he continued to build pressure striking through with 2 wickets of his own to finish of the innings with Milawa posting a small total of 9-82.
After the break Hudson Gillies and Charlie Jaimeson opened up and were both back in the sheds early.
Lach Phillips, Earl Petit and Jack Connell all went quick and the boys were in trouble at 5-21.
This collapse brought the inform Ethan Thorpe and Alex Kealy to the middle and both had no trouble getting the scoreboard moving before Thorpey went for one too many and was out for a quick fire 19.
Next in was Gary Browning who played the supporting role to Keels as the two got closer to the small total before one more collapse occurred as 3 quick wickets fell to have the scores tied at 9-82.
This brought Xave Dowling in who smashed a boundary to get the win with Keels unbeaten on 26 at the other end.
B grade escape with a win and next week travel to Wang to play City Colts in the last game before Christmas.
C Grade
Greta Blue 9/137 def Yarrawonga Mulwala 8/138.
Report not submitted before Chronicle went to print.
Under 14 Rams go down in a nail biter
Yarrawonga Mulwala Rams 5/52 def by Benalla Bushrangers Blue 8/57.
The Under 14 Rams were met with perfect cricket conditions on Saturday morning at Victoria Park.
Losing the toss, Benalla sent the Lakers into bat. Opening up the innings, Lucas Pickering and Ryder ‘Paddy’ Leith were met with swinging and seaming bowling.
The pair batted well without luck, with the Benalla fielders stopping everything that was looking like going through the infield.
Taj Parker and Byron Dodd battled hard in tough conditions, both retiring after facing their 20 balls. Wally Hammon was unselfish in his approach, looking to up the run rate for his team.
Lach Cruikshank and Finn Mitchell both hit five runs each before looking to up the run rate while Dec Reeves and Richo saw the innings out, with Richo hitting his first runs for the year straight over cover.
The boys finished their innings on 52 off 20 overs. At the break, the Rams got together as a group and discussed how to defend a low total, and bowling ‘the Lakers’ way was the result.
Openers Finn and Taj bowled well without luck before Wally came into the attack and struck.
Byron, Benji Wollington, Lucas and Lach Cruikshank all picked up wickets throughout the innings.
The Rams had Benalla eight wickets down in the 18th over when their score was passed.
The boys should take a huge amount of confidence in their bowling and fielding efforts into their next game.
A big thanks to Benji Wollington and Byron Dodd for filling in.
Under 14 Bulls
Yarrawonga Mulwala Bulls 5/123 def Rutherglen United 5/87.
The Bulls side scored their highest tally for the year after losing the toss and being sent into bat.
Openers Levi Purtle and Blair Livingstone – Laing 9 not out got to work early playing their shots, before Purtle cued one off the end of his bat straight back to the bowler for 3.
This saw number 3 batsman Byron Dodd enter the game, playing shots at will, hitting two massive sixes and four fours, to see him retire on a quick fire 35 runs off 17 balls.
This set the tone for his teammates for the game as Tyce Woodhead 15 not out and Finn Wood 21 not out came in and scored their highest runs for the year, both hitting 3 fours each with some strong hitting to all parts of the ground.
Mitchell Smith also came in and ran hard between the wickets for a quick fire 9 before being run out trying to gain runs for the side.
A strong team batting performance saw the Bulls in a strong position going into the break.
Opening bowlers in Blake Braun 0/15 off his 3 overs bowled line and length to keep the opening batters contained, with Michael Smith 0/12 off 3 overs bowling his off spin from the other end bowling well also.
The Bulls bowlers kept it tight all innings to see Rutherglen reach 5/87. Bowlers for the Bulls to take a wicket were Levi Purtle 1/2, Darcy Hargreaves1/12, Jack Browning 1/6 and Finn Wood 1/2.
This also saw Michael Smith with a miraculous run out with a direct hit from side on.
A very much improved performance by the Bulls, which will see them go into the Christmas break full of confidence knowing they can perform at a competitive level after the break.
Under 12 Rams prevail in the heat.
Yarrawonga Mulwala Rams 3/125 def Yarrawonga Mulwala Bulls 4/123.
The second encounter of the ‘Locking of the Horns’ between the Rams and Bulls was a thrilling contest, with the Rams winning the local derby by 2 runs.
On a warm evening the Rams were sent into bat. After the loss of an early wicket the dynamic duo of Paddy (10 retired) and Murphy Doyle (28 not out) got the scoreboard ticking over.
Murphy found the boundary rope on 4 occasions, including one maximum.
The runs flowed across the amazing Vic Park no 2 oval, with Finn O’Brien (21 retired), Lachie Brown (9 retired), Ned O’Brien (18 retired) and Layken Saunders (17 retired) all making valuable contributions to compile a season high 125 off the allotted 20 overs.
Under 12 Bulls fall short in locking of the horns
Yarrawonga Mulwala Rams 3/125 def Yarrawonga Mulwala Bulls 4/123.
Needing to bowl well, the Bulls got off to a steady start, before Paddy Doyle took a sharp return catch to get the first wicket.
The Rams bowlers were finding it challenging to restrict the Bulls batsmen, before Finn O’Brien and Hugo Bott both managed to get one through the defence of the opposition batters.
With the match heading into the final overs, the nerves were starting to rise. Needing to bowl and field well to secure victory, Lachie Brown took hold of the ball and kept the runs to a minimum to help the Rams secure a two-run victory.
A fabulous contest was played out, with another close contest in the second edition of the ‘Locking of the Horns’ for season 2024/2025.
The Rams will return after the Christmas break looking to build on the positive start they made in the first half of the season when they return to action against Benalla Bushrangers Blue on the eighteenth of January.
Under 12 Lakers
Yarrawonga Mulwala Lakers 3/96 def Wangaratta Magpies Black 8/30.
Report not submitted before Chronicle went to print.