Sport
30 October, 2023
Crows’ grand final hopes alive after defeating Maryborough
BEAUFORT 4/148 def MARYBOROUGH 6/134 Beaufort have moved up to second position on the ladder courtesy of a 14-run victory over Maryborough at Princes Park. The result, for now, means that the Crows currently occupy the second grand final spot with...
BEAUFORT 4/148 def MARYBOROUGH 6/134
Beaufort have moved up to second position on the ladder courtesy of a 14-run victory over Maryborough at Princes Park.
The result, for now, means that the Crows currently occupy the second grand final spot with just one round remaining, and a tasty encounter with Laanecoorie Dunolly looms next week.
With the game moved from Beaufort to Princes Park, Maryborough, in winning the toss, elected to bowl first on a pitch that looked to offer up something for both batters and bowlers.
It looked like the Owls were going to get off to the better start, with Jason Hunt, on his return to the club, striking early to remove the in-form Jack Smith for four, as he lured him into playing a shot straight to Jackson Goodwin.
However, Kriss Ellis and Nick Stabbins looked to build a good partnership to give the Crows a foothold into the game.
Ellis, in particular, was playing his most comfortable innings since his arrival, and together with Stabbins, the duo put on 32 for the second wicket, before Stabbins was removed, bowled by Jacob Glen.
Lachlan Oddie came in, with the leading run-scorer in the competition looking to cement his status, and together with Ellis, the duo were able to have arguably a match-winning 65-run partnership.
That ended when Oddie was bowled by Jasper Trickey for 28, but Joe Kingsbury looked to continue on the good work.
In the meantime, Ellis was firing on all cylinders, with a number of big shots around Princes Park.
There were sixes that threatened to clear the grandstand, while his overall shotmaking continued to keep the runs ticking over.
Shortly before the end of the innings, Ellis brought up a well-deserved 50, but was removed in the last over when Mitch McClure took an excellent catch straddling the fence for 53.
Beaufort finished their innings on 4/148. Hunt was Maryborough’s leading wicket-taker, finishing with 2/12 off four overs.
Maryborough needed to make quick runs to get themselves back into the game, and it was the work of Tom Hart early who provided it in what was an entertaining early knock, scoring 17 runs before he was caught and bowled by Kingsbury for 17.
McClure came to the crease, again needing to provide runs alongside Ben Hoban, who was getting his eye in.
Together, the duo worked hard to form a 42-run partnership, with McClure doing the bulk of the scoring.
However, when Smith was able to come on and lure him into playing a shot to Ben Grant, the Crows were in front in the game again, with the Owls behind the eight-ball.
Hoban was starting to fire up, and he provided many of the runs in a 19-run partnership with Jackson Goodwin.
Leading wicket-taker Jay English then came on and removed Goodwin for two, hitting a ball straight to Dan Quixley.
Hoban and Marc Cassidy soon put on a 49-run partnership, with the game still on the line.
Cassidy, in his first A grade game of the season, was ticking along the runs, and was able to get to 18, before Lachlan Oddie came on and settled the game down for the Crows.
He removed Cassidy for 18, with Kingsbury taking his second catch, before Hunt was bowled.
Hoban was run out with the final ball, ending a knock in which he scored 48, but it was the Crows’ day as they took their third consecutive victory.
Oddie finished as the leading wicket taker for the Crows with the figures of 2/12 off three overs.
