161-run stand launches RUB to victory over Colts

Rovers United Bruck went massive with the bat to lay the groundwork for a 144-run win over neighbouring City Colts in Saturday’s third round of WDCA A grade cricket. Calling the coin correctly, the Hawks decided to bat first up, posting a monster 4/284 from their 45 overs on a strip at WJ Findlay Oval not dissimilar to the Hume Freeway, before rolling the Colts for 140. It was far from a cakewalk early when RUB lost the explosive Charith Perera for just eight, with Colts’ Connor Ormond taking a sharp caught and bowled, but opener Nick Jardim and first-drop Jonty Oliver went about establishing the innings. The pair would put on 55 together before Jardim was run out on 47, slow off the mark from the non-strikers end while Hugo Spring’s centimetre-perfect throw from mid-wicket made it easy for the keeper to whip the bails off. The wicket would bring the experienced Jacob Schonafinger to the crease, and together with Oliver, would blast the Colts attack to all parts of the ground. Coming together in the 14th over at 2/71, the partnership would last well into the 39th, amassing 161 runs together, with Schonafinger coming undone on 96 off 76 deliveries in an innings which included 13 fours and a monster six. Oliver would continue on, coming six runs short of his own ton before holing out to long off, but the damage had been done. RUB captain Matt Whitten said it was probably the best batting performance they’d put on in years. “I don’t think it could’ve gone any better with the bat,” he said. “Nick batted superbly and got unlucky - unlucky is probably wrong, he got a bit of a barbecue with that run out. “For Jonty and Schona to both get 90 and bat the way they did was super impressive. “Whenever someone gets above 70 or 80 in our league, it’s a pretty good effort, I think, and to have two guys do it in the one game but for both of them to fall just short of their hundred was an anticlimax, but I’m super proud of them and they were really happy with how they batted and what they’d done for the team.” Kent Braden was the pick of the Colts’ bowlers, picking up 1/34 from his nine overs with an economy of less than four an over. Braden was also one of the lone shining lights for the Colts with the bat, opening the innings and blazing his way to 49 from just 41 balls. Once Braden fell, the Colts slumped from 1/62 to 4/78, as spinners Jeremy Wilson (2/13) and Nick Jardim (6/23) tore through the order. The spinners were well supported in the field, especially by gloveman Lucky Perera, who finished with three stumpings. “Kent [Braden] came out and showed how good the wicket was, he just timed the ball perfectly, he got 40 in pretty much no time, so there was a little bit of a scare there, they were ahead of the run rate at the beginning,” Whitten said. “When Kent went out, it was back to what we were trying to do, we were able to build dot balls from there and just take wickets pretty consistently after he went out. “He [Jardim] bowled some leg spin he’d been doing in the nets, his first ball was a gross half-tracker that went for four and I thought this could be bad. “After that, he was pretty well flawless – 6/23 is pretty good.” The Rovers sit second on the A grade ladder after three rounds.

161-run stand launches RUB to victory over Colts

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