Kiewa pacemen Ryan de Vries and Jacob Barber have ripped through premiership contender Eskdale for just 27.
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De Vries took 6-7 from 9.1 overs, while Barber claimed 4-19.
“”I think we just bowled good areas more than anything, we really tied them down, tightened up the bad balls so they really had to force the issue,” de Vries said.
“The fielders also took some blinders, everything that got hit in the air was caught.
“Connor Davis took one in at short cover, it was absolutely shelled to him and he sort of just tapped it up in the air, and got it on the second grab, it was absolutely smoked to him.”
De Vries is the association’s best bowler, taking an incredible 60 wickets last season at only 8.52.
He’s now on 36, and could again push the half-century mark.
The left-armer bowled to the South African ODI team prior to last year’s World Cup, so he’s had access to the elite level.
But he maintains his final-year physiotherapy studies take precedence.
“If I can get a job in Melbourne, I’ll chase the higher level,” he said.
“But at the moment I’m just focused on uni and cricket’s only an enjoyment thing to play with my mates.”
Eskdale opener Shaun Baude was the only player to make doubles figures, with 10, while the vistitors had five ducks.
Kiewa rattled its way to 9-206 from 47 overs, with Josh Bartel smashing a boundary-laden 100.
“He was incredible, he hits lots of boundaries,” de Vries said.
“I was out there for a while, and we didn’t do much running, which was nice.”
Kiewa is ideally positioned to snare an outright on the final day of the regular season, which would seal the minor premiership, provided Yackandandah doesn’t do likewise against Wodonga.
Wodonga will resume on 2-17, chasing Yackandandah’s 217.
“Our main priority is probably fine-tuning everything for finals, whether it be batting or bowling,” he said.
Elsewhere, Howlong’s hopes of moving off the bottom have been helped after posting 184 against Barnawartha-Chiltern.
The visitors will resume on 2-62.
Bethanga is the other side battling for the wooden spoon and it scored only 105, while Baranduda is 2-58.
Dederang made 152 against Mount Beauty, which will resume on 2-46.
Heading into the final round, Yackandandah had a slight lead over Kiewa, with Mt Beauty, Eskdale, Dederang and Baranduda rounding out the six, which is unlikely to change, given the latter’s 10.29-point lead.
