A Tale of Two Halves – West Bentleigh 1 Triumphs Over Bentleigh Uniting 1
The cricketing gods smiled upon West Bentleigh 1 and Bentleigh Uniting 1 as bright sunshine greeted the two teams for Round 8 of the South East Cricket Association Longmuir Shield. The stage was set for a thrilling encounter between these age-old rivals on Sat 26 Nov 2022, and again on Sat 3 Dec 2022.
In the first innings, West Bentleigh 1 batted first, posting a competitive total of 250 runs, despite losing 10 wickets. The innings started cautiously with openers L Healy and A Poll, both taking their time to settle in. The West Bentleigh 1 top order batters provided minimal contribution before the middle order took charge. C Pap was the standout performer, amassing a brilliant 98 not out. The innings saw a slight wobble at 6 wickets down when J Morgan and J MacLeod were dismissed by M Silva and B De Alwis, respectively, at a team score of 114. However, the middle-order batters fought back valiantly, with West Bentleigh 1 eventually reaching 250.
On the bowling front, Bentleigh Uniting 1 stood tall with individual contributions, especially from M Silva and B De Alwis claiming 3 and 4 wickets, respectively. The duo of De Alwis and Silva not only claimed the top and middle order wickets but, along with G McCormick, destroyed the lower order as well.
The stage was set for a tantalizing second innings, with Bentleigh Uniting 1 chasing down a target of 250 runs for victory. The top order batters of Bentleigh Uniting 1 put on a good show, with B De Alwis top-scoring with 70 runs and M Silva contributing significantly with 66. The pair was involved in a huge partnership of 78 runs, propelling the team score to 116. However, the tide turned as the match wore on.
A pivotal moment came in the second innings when R Drummond, after scoring a gritty 29 runs, was bowled by C Reid at a team score of 62. Despite the setback, De Alwis and Silva continued their heroics with the bat, taking the fight to West Bentleigh 1. The match was on a knife-edge when De Alwis was eventually caught by J Morgan off J Murphy’s bowling at a team score of 204. Bentleigh Uniting 1 required only 46 runs to win, with 3 wickets in hand. However, this proved to be a tall task as the lower order crumbled. A Sheriff was the last notable resistance, remaining not out on 9 runs.
Unfortunately for Bentleigh Uniting 1, they fell short by 35 runs, finishing on 215. J Murphy was the star bowler for West Bentleigh 1, delivering an outstanding individual performance with six wickets to his name. His relentless attack on the Bentleigh Uniting 1 batting lineup proved to be the difference between the two sides in the end.
In summary, the Round 8 encounter between West Bentleigh 1 and Bentleigh Uniting 1 in the Longmuir Shield was a true reflection of the spirit of cricket – fierce competition, individual brilliance, and unexpected twists. Congratulations to West Bentleigh 1 for emerging victorious, and we look forward to more such intense battles in the future!
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