Yarrawonga Mulwala’s persistence with the ball has paid off with a 72-run win over City Colts.
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Chasing a bumper total of 264, Colts were in the hunt at 2-143, but when opener Nick Norris was dismissed for 71 and Kent Braden for 68, the home team collapsed, losing its last six wickets for 22.
“It was certainly challenge time, no doubt, they were batting well and even though our boys were bowling quite well, the situation could have gone either way,” Lakers’ coach Matt Knight said.
“It was pretty important that we got those two and we felt, if we did, we could test the depth a bit.”
Norris’s half-century was off 146 balls, with nine fours, while Braden faced 120 deliveries, including 11 boundaries.
Braden had said pre-match the experienced duo of Norris and himself would shoulder much of the responsibility, but he was hoping the youngsters in the top six could also fire.
However, opener Oliver Willett (four), number three Will Creed (12) and middle-order batsman Fraser Ellis (19) struggled.
“Really, our blokes just continued to work hard and it was probably a sustained effort more than anything,” Knight said.
“It was about containing to make it hard to score and then, of course, it becomes a game of how hard do you go and we probably just managed to out-last them.
“Ben Doyle bowled us back into it a little bit, just really put the screws on Kent when he was going pretty well.
“Ben’s been an opening bowler for a long time, but he now slots in nicely for first or second change and he’s fantastic, you can rely on him.”
Doyle and Knight are the team’s only experienced players, with the fast-medium bowler snaring 4-43 from 17 overs.
Last week’s century-maker Matt Casey rounded out the game with his first bowl of the season, taking 2-3.
“He used to be an off-spinner and he’s been bowling medium pace in the nets,” Knight said.
“He went away on the under 21 rep cricket the other week and they were a medium-pacer short and got a go, so I thought I’d give him the last couple of overs.”
The Lakers remain the only undefeated outfit after Rovers United Bruck toppled Beechworth.
Rovers were defending 122, with the home team resuming on 6-66.
Beechworth lasted another 17 overs to fall for 101.
Joe Thomas took his second successive four-wicket haul and now has 10 from only three games.
Elsewhere, Greta toppled Wangaratta Magpies.
Greta had posted 184 on the opening day and Matt Gathercole quickly ended the home side’s hopes in snaring 6-16 from 18 overs.
And Benalla Bushrangers and Delatite played out a draw after rain intervened.