Victoria’s Country Men’s team unbeaten

Victoria have begun their campaign in the Australian Country Cricket Championships with two wins to sit on top of the ladder.

Victoria has defeated Queensland and the East-Asia Pacific to be the only unbeaten side.

The tournament began on January 4 as Victoria faced Queensland and after losing the toss, Victoria were sent in to bat.

With three wickets falling for just 30 runs it looked like it was a good toss to win.

Number three batsman Greg Munro helped to restore order to the Victorian side as he shared a 52-run partnership with Adrian Burgiel before a three-wicket collapse for as many runs ensued.

Burgiel was dismissed for 23, Adam Ward was run out for a six-ball duck and Munro was also run out for 43 with the score on 85.

It was an impressive unbeaten knock of 59 from the number eight Jacob Smith who struck seven fours that saw Victoria through to a respectable total of 182 all out.

Shaun McCarthy and Michael Salerno were the pick of the Queensland bowlers picking up figures of 3-31 and 2-36 respectively.

There was an attacking start from Queensland’s opener Bradley Stout, who smashed his way to 28 off 19 with five fours and a six, before Ben Boyd got the breakthrough as he had Stout caught and two more quick wickets were then taken by opening bowler Lachlan Dobson.

A 56-run partnership ensued between Ben O’Connell and Kaden Dickfos before both were dismissed inside three runs of each other as Boyd took three for three and finished with figures of 4-40.

Adam Ward completed a good bowling display from the Victorians as Queensland were dismissed for 157, finishing with 3-25 to help secure a 25-run victory for Victoria.

Victoria’s second match saw a change of format to 50 overs and was against East Asia Pacific (EAP) with Victoria winning the toss and electing to bat.

It was a much better display with the bat as Munro and Nathan Walsh opened up with a 98-run partnership before Munro was bowled by Pipi Raho for 15.

Unfortunately as is often the case with one wicket comes another and Luke Carter was bowled by Apolinaire Stephen for nought with the score on 99.

After an attacking 92-run knock off just 76 deliveries which included eight fours and five sixes, Walsh departed lbw to Stephen with Victoria on 123.

As was the case before, a second wicket fell, this time Burgiel was bowled by Stephen for one with the score on 125.

The fifth wicket fell with the score on 151 as Ward was caught by Kiplin Doriga off Nalin Nipiko for 11 and then for the third time in the innings, a second wicket fell in quick succession as Cameron Taylor departed in the exact same fashion for a golden duck.

Mitchell-Winter Irving was the second top scorer for Victoria making 37 runs before being stumped by Doriga off Makoto Taniyama with the score on 189.

Taniyama picked up a second wicket as he had Wilson caught Stephen for 10 with Victoria on 203.

A very useful unbeaten partnership of 42 from Smith and Bradley Scott, who made 30 off 19 balls including a four and three sixes, saw Victoria post 8-245 after their 50 overs.

Stephen was their most successful bowler taking three wickets for just 31 runs while Nipiko and Taniyama picked up two apiece.

Victoria used the same opening bowlers in Dobson and Boyd which once again brought an early wicket with Dobson getting Riley Hekure caught by Smith for eight with EAP on the same score.

Joshua Rasu and Jonathon Dunn then shared a 32-run partnership before both being dismissed with the score on 40 by Scott and Dunn respectively.

The next wicket fell with the score on 66 as Nipiko was bowled by Scott for 10.

24 runs were then added by Jason Kila and Doriga before Kila was trapped lbw by Taylor for 30 with EAP on 90.  

Continuing in the fashion of the day, a wicket fell with the score on 91 as Hiri Hiri was caught by Smith off Ward for a duck.

Stephen also fell quickly as he was bowled by Ward for a thee-ball duck with the score on 97.

EAP’s lost their last three wickets for 57 but this was largely because of an aggressive unbeaten 55 from Doriga which included five sixes.

This saw Victoria win their second match of the Championship by a 57-run margin.

Ward was once again the pick of the Victorian bowlers finishing with the same figures of 3-25 while Scott and Taylor each took two.