THE Murrumbidgee Mankadders, winless in the Elders Cup last season, notched up their third win of the season with a 90-run triumph over traditional powerhouse Wyangle at Borambola on Saturday.
The Mankadders batted first and were dismissed for 149 runs in 38.5 overs. Timothy Kross top scored with 39 off 46 balls including four fours. He was supported by Jack Woodhouse with 31 and Nelson Foley with 22.
The Wyangle bowlers did a good job of not letting the men in pink post a massive total. Tom Boxal was the best of them, taking 3/18 from 10 overs including two maidens.
However, the Mankadders bowlers did an even better job, dismissing Wyangle for 59 in 27.3 overs. Tom Boxal was also the best of the team’s batsmen on the day, getting 17 runs.
James Bunter was devastating with the ball, taking 4/9 from six overs.
Mankadders captain Michael Hargreaves said it was a great all round team performance, and everyone played their part.
“Tim Kross, Jack Woodhouse and Nelson Foley stood out with the bat and when we had a wobble Will Bingham saved us,” he said.
“Everyone eked out the runs to put on a total that we knew would be too many. Josh Williams was on fire with the ball and effectively won us the game by the fifth over.
“Backed up by everyone in the field, we thought they were slow in the field so we pushed to get through our overs. Nelson Foley was excellent with the gloves taking six catches. Lewis Pulver and Bunter kept up the pressure to return the favour getting us our first ever win over a club that has hammered us many times. We hope to carry the momentum over into our crucial games up next to Plains and Coolac. If we can’t show up against them, there’s no point playing finals.”
Wyangle’s Dave Shedden said his team were outplayed but it wasn’t all bad.
“The one big positive was the way we fought back into it with the ball and in the field,” he said.
“The way the Mankadders started off I thought that we might of be looking at a chase of 200 plus and it was pleasing to see how our bowlers hung in there and we held our catches as well. But unfortunately we didn’t stand up at all with the bat and full credit to the Mankadders attack.”
The Adelong Donkeys scored a terrific seven-wicket win over premiers Tumut Plains at the Bull Paddock.
The Donkeys’ bowlers had the Plains batsmen pinned down, although Luke Armstrong managed 44 and Nathan Butt 29. They didn’t get enough help and Plains were all out for 100 in 33.2 overs. Corey Wilson took 4/20 from 7.2 overs.
Adelong passed this total for the loss of just three wickets, Eli Birks getting 49 not out and Justin Stanford 43 not out.
“We just didn’t get enough runs; they bowled really, really well,” Luke Armstrong said.
“We were on 40 runs after 20 (overs); they were so hard to get away.”
Meanwhile, Coolac, arguably the form side of the competition, scored a big eight wicket win over Gundagai at Coolac.
Both Charlie Braun and Rasika Thanippulige equal top scored for Gundagai with 16, Braun not out and the team were dismissed for 70 in 24.3 overs.
Samuel Sharman took 3/21 from eight overs and Joel Sharman took 2/3 off 1.3 overs. Coolac only lost two wickets in reaching the target, Angus Stapleton top-scoring with 35 not out.
“We did have a couple of juniors help out this weekend but that’s not an excuse,” Gundagai captain Caleb Lindley-Kell said.
“Coolac are really the in-form team at the moment. I think Charlie Braun batted exceptionally well.”
