There was little a bamboozled Jarvis Delahey Crushers batting unit could do to halt the Hurley’s Hotel Hounds bowling onslaught on Sunday morning.
The Hounds cruised to a comfortable nine-wicket win on the back of a superb bowling performance, one which toppled the hapless Crushers for a miserly 60 runs at Cobram Showgrounds.
But the second round of Goulburn Valley Bush Bash League didn’t get off to the perfect start intended, after a sprinkler malfunction overnight forced a delayed start to the morning’s play.
Hounds skipper Adam Ward took full advantage of the conditions and elected to bowl first and didn’t have to wait long to know his decision was the right one.
The Hounds’ tall quicks went to work and spearhead Cam Stevenson struck with the fifth ball of the day to remove the Crushers’ round one hero Ethan Brookes, who departed for a duck.
Dylan Cuttriss got in on the action to dismiss Jake Klemm in the third over, before Katandra’s Corey Hickford removed the dangerous Mitch Brett for one the next over.
In a spot of bother at 3-11, the Crushers proceeded to lose their next four wickets for seven runs.
Skipper Dwain Vidler stuck around with Mitch Cleeland down the order and dragged their side to 55, before they were eventually toppled for 60 after 16.5 overs.
As expected, the Hounds wasted little time in reply and sent in heavy-hitter Paul Newman (28 not out) and Greenvale’s Josh Trembearth to hunt down the total.
Newman gave spectators what they wanted and whacked two to the boundary and two over the ropes, before fellow Kyabram stalwart Kyle Mueller stepped in after Trembearth’s dismissal and blasted his side to victory with 28 from 10 deliveries.
Hounds skipper Ward acknowledged the conditions played a big part, but said his side hand’t faltered when the game was there for the taking.
“I think we obviously got the best part of the conditions, it’s probably not too far off the mark to say the game was dictated a little bit on a coin toss,” Ward said.
“But I thought we bowled really well even with the conditions on offer, it was probably one of those wickets you could get a little bit carried away with with the ball and tend to chase wickets.”
Ward was full of praise for his bowlers and said the height in his bowling brigade had paired nicely with the Cobram conditions.
“I thought our bowlers were really disciplined and bowled a really hard length — back of a length — and it proved really difficult to score from,” he said.
“The boys at the top bowled really well, that half length proves really difficult and it helps when you have three bowlers who are six foot three plus bowling really well.
“We were able to keep it tight in the field and luckily for us they gave us a bit of catching practice.”
THE GAME
Jarvis Delahey Crushers 60 (Chare Smith 4-11, Corey Hickford 2-12, Dylan Cuttriss 2-19) lt Hurley's Hotel Hounds 1-62 (Kyle Mueller 28 not out, Paul Newman 27 not out)
STAR PLAYER:
Chare Smith (Hurley’s Hotel Hounds): The Hounds’ star quick put on another dazzling Bush Bash bowling display, snagging four wickets of his own in his side’s complete bowling performance. Smith’s height and the bounce on offer at Cobram had the Crushers in all sorts of trouble.