Sport
8 January, 2024
Laane set a marker with big score of 302 as Matt Smith dazzles with 91
An exceptional day with the bat has Laanecoorie Dunolly very well positioned to take first innings points after making 302 runs on Saturday. A brutal batting display from captain Matt Smith helped cement Laane’s dominance after it looked like...
An exceptional day with the bat has Laanecoorie Dunolly very well positioned to take first innings points after making 302 runs on Saturday.
A brutal batting display from captain Matt Smith helped cement Laane’s dominance after it looked like Maryborough were slowly getting themselves into the game after a slow start.
It was the work of Tom Hannett and Sam Bartlett which helped Laane dictate terms from the outset, putting on 66 for the first wicket.
Bartlett was first to go on 43, however, as Troy Hubble clean-bowled him.
Nevertheless, Hannett, along with Joe Lovel, continued with the job, and were able to add a second consecutive 50-run partnership before Lovel was next out, caught by Mitch McClure off the bowling of Mick Malik.
Sergio Rosier came in hoping to make his first big score of the season, and was able to get to 17, but he too was the victim of Malik’s excellent bowling, trapped in front for LBW.
After making 71 runs, Hannett was caught short, with Lachie Condie and Jasper Trickey combining to run him out.
At 4/170, Laane were still in front of the game, but knew they needed to keep making runs, and Smith came in and did exactly that.
Inbetween, however, Nathan Leist lost his wicket, making 17 before he was trapped in front for LBW.
In any case, Smith carried on, and together with Zach Graham, put together a quickfire 45-run partnership before Graham was run-out on 24 by McClure.
Smith really put the foot down after that, paired with Jarred Russell. Smith hit four sixes, as well as six fours, as he was able to get to 91.
But his quest for a century fell short, with Steven Shovan collecting his wicket, caught by Sam Thomson.
Thang Nguyen was the last man out for the day, with Shovan collecting a second wicket after bowling him.
It means that Maryborough will likely need to come out and make 303 runs to take the points. Whilst not impossible, it’s an enormous task for the young Owls.
Malik finished with the best figures of the day, taking 2/15 off 9.5 overs. Hubble and Shovan likewise took two wickets, but they struggled against the power hitting of Laane’s batting lineup, collecting 2/60 and 2/87 respectively.
