Nine is fine for Liam Callegari.
On Saturday, the Haisman Shield bore witness to one of the finest individual bowling spells of the decade as Callegari took 9-31 for Old Students against Karramomus.
The Student became the master as the hosting Bloods were bowled out for 100, Callegari’s ripping wrist-spin giving his side the upper hand in the two-day clash.
However, chasing the runs wasn’t as cut and dry as it should have been for Old Students.
Karramomus conjured up their own ball mastery as they plundered Students’ order to leave the visitors at 7-103 at stumps, indicating Vibert Reserve’s wicket was exactly what the doctor ordered for the bowlers.
Old Students quick Mohammad Shahid cleaned up Bloods skipper Mitch McGrath with the second ball of the day before the Callegari show started in the second over.
If any eyebrows were raised at the sight of Students opening with spin Callegari put the qualms to bed instantly.
The tricky leggy snared Cooper Delahey with his fourth ball — and once he had a taste for the Bloods, it was goodnight nurse for Karramomus.
Callegari whisked through batter after batter like he was baking a cake, consistently outfoxing his opponents with flight and turn until he iced the innings midway through his 19th over.
By then he’d bowled half of his side’s balls and had racked up four clean bowled wickets, three leg-before-wickets and two caught dismissals.
Zac Groombridge (22), Nathan Jones (16) and Lachie Keady (16) provided the only real pushback for Karramomus in the first innings, but on defence, the Bloods staged their own wrecking display with the ball.
Noah Muir (15) and Sam O’Brien (11) began brilliantly for Students, but both departed short of reaching the 20s as Zane Newbound sought to replicate Callegari’s effort.
He grabbed the next two wickets cheaply and, at 4-31, Students were stumbling.
Newbound then passed the baton on to Groombridge, who scooped up the key scalps of Callan McCabe for 20 and Luke McPhillamy for five as Karramomus pinched some of the marbles off the travellers.
Students, though, dug in as the day wound down with Maninderjit Singh (15 not out) and Shahid (13 not out) at the crease when all was said and done.
THE GAME
Karramomus 100 (Zac Groombridge 22, Nathan Jones 16, Liam Callegari 9-31) v Old Students 7-103 (Callan McCabe 20, Maninderjit Singh 15*, Zane Newbound 4-36)