Isaac has a field day

ISAAC Holt was constantly jumping for joy at Wedderburn’s Market Square on Saturday.

Four catches and two wickets stamped Holt as a key player in Weddburn’s victory over Arnold.

The first wicket came early, Holt opening the bowling and having Phil Scholes caught by Luke Holt in the first over.

Scholes’ departure left Ryan Metelmann to keep the Redbacks’ hopes ticking with some heartbeat as the stream of dismissals continued.

Metelmann and Michael Dale ticked the scored along to 30 when Holt claimed his second wicket and first catch of the game.

Opener Metelmann was caught by Holt nine runs later off a Shelton delivery.

Jaspa Wendels, back after missing much of the season with a thumb injury, was finding his feet and occasionally the gap while Arnold skipper Cam Dale took the lead and briefly settled the Redbacks.

Then Tom Kirk had his turn with the ball and menacingly ripped through the middle order.

He had Wendels clean bowled while Kale Hewett-Scull, one of the Arnold youngsters stepping into senior ranks this season, put in a valiant effort pushing balls towards the boundary. Wedderburn’s Adam Postle, finished his seven overs without wickets, but made runs difficult and conceded just eight for the stint.

Arnold was all out 103 in just under 33 overs. Wedderburn needed just 22 to overtake the reigning premiers and re-install itself on top of the Upper Loddon ladder.

Wendels had better success with the ball for Arnold, claiming the Wedderburn openersironically each making nine runs - but the steady partnerships featuring Kirk, Luke and Isaac Holt saw Wedderburn comfortably reach the target.

Isaac Holt would top score with 42 before caught by Hill off Power’s bowling.

The bright point from Arnold’s time in the field was its ball efficiency, with just five extras recorded.

Cam Dale and Alan Davies had the Redbacks’ best figures for the afternoon while Wendels’ return will provide depth in the bowling attack in the final handful of remaining home and away games.

Wedderburn has its final bye this weekend.

Slatter ends stoic Staniforth’s stint keeping Bull hopes alive

A GALLANT stint at the crease by Tom Staniforth was not enough to see Bridgewater into triple figures on Saturday.

The Bulls were all out in under 30 overs as Boort Yando’s Blake Slatter tore the tail apart in his four-over spell, giving away just nine runs.

Slatter then removed last-man standing Staniforth for 31.

The early damage was done by Alex Cockerell and skipper Jarrod Hordoras whose deliveries were nicked by Bridgewater openers Tom and Harry McKinley straight into the hands of wicketkeeper Joshua Smith.

At 2-11 the Bulls were in trouble and could not recover.

Boort Yando was in a whisker of trouble early when Tom McKinley had Smith out lbw for six but Bear batted on with Hodoras to take the score to 30 when the McKinley brothers swamped for another wicket.

Hordoras, Cockerell and finally Slatter took Boort Yando into winning position in just 26 overs.

Boort Yando declared when Slatter was caught behind the wicket by Staniforth off Naughton’s bowling.

Tom McKinley was easily the best of Bridgewater’s bowlers. His tight deliveries saw three maidens, a bright spot in a tough day for the Bulls.

Bowling averages

This Week

Bridgewater v Arnold, KIngower v Boort Yando, Wedderburn

Ladder

O M R W B Av Str

Tom McKinley (Bridgewater) 56 10 169 18 5/22 9.39 18.67

Kyle Simpson (Kingower) 61 8 227 17 4/10 13.35 21.53

Fergus Bear (Boort Yando) 62 3 295 17 5/49 17.35 21.88

Jayden Leach (Kingower) 55.5 16 122 14 3/17 8.71 23.93

Tom Kirk 30 8 102 13 6/24 7.85 13.85

Batting averages

M NO HS Runs Av

Braydon Welsh (Kingower) 7 2 133* 375 75.00

Harry McKinley (Bridgewater) 8 1 110 283 40.43

Tom Kirk (Wedderburn) 5 3 112* 203 113.00

Alex Cockerell (Boort Yando) 9 2 57* 190 463.50

Matthew Rowe (Kingower) 8 0 54 189 63.70