Liam Phillips
GAWLER Central will be hunting a crucial outright win on day two of its Barossa and Light Cricket Association A1-reserves matchup with Eudunda-Robertstown after dominating the opening day’s play.
From the moment Eudunda-Robertstown won the toss and decided to bat on its home deck, it was all Tigers.
Jack Mosey top scored for the hosts with 23, as Luke King (3/14, three maidens from seven overs) and company took care of business, ending the innings on a paltry 68.
The Tigers came out ultra-aggressive, as an outright win would catapult the side into the top-four, and managed to shoot out to 6/135 in 27 overs before declaring.
The home side will begin day two trailing by 60 after reaching stumps at 1/17.
Angaston appears to be the side that will surrender its top-four position to Gawler Central after league-leaders Greenock controlled proceeding early.
The Greenock pair of Benjamin Roennfeldt (3/26, seven maidens from 15 overs) and James Fowler (3/19, four maidens from 9.5 overs) were virtually unplayable on their home wicket, with Angaston bombing out for 109.
The one-way traffic continued when play resumed, with the hosts cruising to 1/78, with opener Sam Nitschke 48 not-out at stumps.
Lyndoch will like its chances of leaving Kapunda with the points after the visitors’ strong bowling left it a reachable target of 125.
The home side’s Brett Johnson was the main resistance, but when he was dismissed for 59, the rest of his team failed to pull its weight.
Matthew Robinson (4/22) took the most wickets, but William Roberts posted the most smothering bowling line of the season in any grade, registering 12 maidens from his 14 overs to go with his 3/2.
The visitors will begin day two at 0/11 needing 114 to win.
Willaston will have to completely collapse to blow its match against Light Pass, needing just 35 runs with nine wickets in hand.
Trent Payne (6/37) was dominant, striking early before cleaning up the tail with the innings’ last three wickets.
No Light Pass batsman was able to top opener Sean Schrapel’s 22 as the side was retired on 114 before Dylan McIver shot to 60 not-out with the remaining overs to put Willaston at 1/80.
In A2, South Gawler’s Justin Waters was wishing for one more over as stumps were called as he sat on 98 not-out.
He and partner James Nas (59 not-out) salvaged a rocky start that saw the Lions 6/56, carrying the side to a very defendable 6/210 for Gawler Central to chase down on day two.