Red-hot Wodonga batsman Lucas Hutchinson has labelled his team’s thrilling win over North Albury one of the best of his career.
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“It was amazing, we had our two best batsmen (Robbie Jackson and Jack Craig) make less than 10 runs between them,” he said.
“Mason Brown was playing only his third or fourth game, and he made 32, while Andrew Berg did well in his first game for the year.”
Wodonga was awarded the controversial match, almost 24 hours after the finish.
The scorebooks failed to add up, but the pennant committee decided as the bowling figures were beyond North’s total of 243, Wodonga should receive the points.
Hutchinson played a key role in the win, scoring 93, his second successive score in the 90s.
“I was batting in the powerplay and tried to flick one over square leg, but hit it straight to the fielder,” he said.
“It’s very frustrating because one of the things about form is it can come and go, so I need to make the most of it.
“It was also frustrating because we still needed to get the runs for the win.”
Meanwhile, ladder leader Tallangatta has a unique problem.
The Bushies have been so dominant, they’ve lost only 23 wickets after six rounds.
Coach Matt Armstrong is third on the run-scorer’s list with 218, while Nathan Thompson has been dismissed only twice and is averaging 103.
“The one downside I suppose is that a lot of the guys haven’t been able to bat, and they’re desperate to have a hit,” Armstrong said.
Greg McGillivray has been a regular fixture as the Bushies’ opener, but he hasn’t had a bat yet.
He’s 60kgs wringing wet but he can hit the ball around 150 metres
- Drew Cameron
Belvoir captain Drew Cameron has labelled Irish under 19 international Aaron Gillespie a ‘freak’.
“He’s 60kgs wringing wet but he can hit the ball around 150 metres,” he said.
“He plays a lot of T20 over there, and in one innings he hit 120 off only 55 balls.”
But while the young gun was critical to the thumping win over St Patrick’s, it was one of the veterans who kick-started the Eagles’ innings.
“We’ve been struggling at the start, losing wickets and going slowly,” Cameron said.
“So we put Mick Spiteri at the top and were 19 off two overs.
“He hit a run-a-ball 25.”
Spiteri turns 45 on Wednesday.
The Patties fielded a young outfit, with captain Kane Arendarcikas missing his second game.
And Albury will also be without its captain and leading run-scorer.
Kade Brown is expected to miss at least four weeks while travelling overseas around Christmas.
