MORE than halfway through the Barossa & Light Cricket Association A1 season, Tanunda sits alone atop the ladder after going undefeated – five wins and four draws from nine matches – in the waning months of 2020.
The Magpies have ridden a balanced batting line-up, with Oscar Harms (58), Luke Snowden (46), Sam Colquhoun (45) and Jonathan Justin (41) all averaging more than 40 runs in the five matches which were able to finish in a proper result.
Harms and Goers also sit inside the top-five wicket takers, taking 13 each at an average of 14 and 12 respectively, including best figures of 7/69 for Harms and 4/49 for Goers.
Nipping at Tanunda’s heels is Angaston, which is the only other team with five wins, and Nuriootpa, with four wins and a game-in-hand rounding out the top-three.
Nuriootpa’s Daniel Moore has scored the third-most runs in the division with 182, trailing only Angaston pair Greg Bain (247) and Scott Rathjen (225) who average 49 and 45 respectively, with Rathjen posting a strike rate of 261.
The title of best bowler in the competition so-far goes to Sandy Creek captain Rhys Handtke, who is three wickets clear atop the leaderboard with 18, and boasts an average of 9.5, with best figures of 6/7.
Clinging onto its spot in the top-four is South Gawler, which despite having no batsman in the top-20 averages, or top-10 in total runs, has managed to piece together a couple of wins defending scores in the 160s.
Lions Ben McMullen (5/18) and William Earle (5/23) produced two of the divisions’ six best bowling performances, while David Golder has taken 11 wickets to sit in a tie for eighth-most.
At the other end of the table, Greenock and Gilbert Valley remain winless heading into the break, with the Schlungers currently occupying the wooden-spoon spot thanks to six losses and two draws.
Ben Thiel has been a bright spot for Greenock, taking 11 wickets in his 40 overs, while his teammate Jamie McCafferty is eighth in the competition in total runs.
Gilbert Valley will need a massive second half of the season from James Vandeleur, who boasts the second-highest average in the division with 60, but from only three innings, including a 67 not-out.
Looking down the divisions, Lyndoch is a game and a pile of percentage ahead of Light Pass to lead the A1-reserves, Sandy Creek is undefeated in A2, the Dockers also lead in A3, Morgan top the A4 ladder, and Light Pass will begin 2021 as narrow leaders of A5.
Top 10 batting performances
Gilbert Valley’s Sam Goodfellow
177* v Greenock – A4
Angaston’s Scott Rathjen
140 v Gilbert Valley – A1
Tanunda’s Christian Gattermayr
135* v Nuriootpa – A3
Eudunda/Robertstown’s Jack Mosey
133 v Gawler Central – A1 reserves
Light Pass’ Ryan Schiller
108 v Lyndoch – A3
Morgan’s Scott Cartwright
107 v Freeling – A4
Willaston’s Dylan McIver
102* v Truro – A1 reserves
Greenock’s Jamie Schultz
96* v Lyndoch – A4
Light Pass’ Simon Herrman
94 v Angaston – A3
Gawler Central’s Adrian Connelly
90 v South Gawler – A2
Top 10 BOWLING performances
Gawler Central’s Adam Byster
7/9 v Angaston – A1 reserves
Tanunda’s Oscar Harms
7/69 v Greenock – A1
Sandy Creek’s Rhys Handtke
6/7 v Greenock – A1
Angaston’s Tom Treloar
6/8 v Freeling – A1 reserves
Kapunda’s Michael Mickan
6/13 v Hamley Bridge – A2
Tanunda’s Blake Dahlitz
6/14 v Nuriootpa – A3
Willaston’s Deakin Davis
6/42 v Light Pass – A1 reserves
Angaston’s Benjamin Antonie
5/1 v Nuriootpa – A1
Sandy Creek’s Lee Hill
5/1 v Greenock – A2
Gawler Central’s Chris Menz
5/9 v Lyndoch – A4