Wodonga opener Tom Johnson struck the season’s first century as the home team pushed the 300-run barrier in Saturday’s crackerjack win over North Albury.
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Johnson posted a sizzling 133 from 127 balls, racking up four sixes and 16 boundaries in the total of 6-292.
“He’s been showing signs of doing that previous weeks, for him to do it against the top side was probably more rewarding,” captain-coach Robbie Jackson said.
“He went through a couple of patches where things weren’t going his way and he pushed through it and put us in a really good position to post a good score.
“’Johno’s’ in a rich vein of form at the moment, so we’re trying to keep him going and bat around him.”
The former South Australian Country rep shared a 107-run stand with Mitch Dinneen (23).
He then clocked up 93 in partnership with Jack Craig (67 not out).
Johnson was dismissed at 2-200.
It was also his maiden first grade ton after playing only five matches last season.
He now leads the run-scorer’s with 290 at 72.5.
Wodonga looked capable of becoming the first team to post 300 runs this season, but tight bowling by Ash Hulme (2-33) derailed those plans.
North altered its batting line-up with captain Ash Borella dropping back to number three.
Ben Paddle (10) and Ash Hulme put on 61 for the opening wicket before keeper BJ Garvey took a superb catch, standing up the stumps from Leo McGhee.
Borella’s move didn’t work as he fell for a duck and the association’s leading run-scorer of the past three seasons now boasts just 88 runs at 17.6.
Hulme fell for 61, but then Callum Langlands (36) and Greg Daniel (31) kept the visitors in the match with a partnership of 71.
Haydyn Roberts chipped in with an unbeaten 37, but North never seriously threatened Wodonga’s monster total, finishing on 8-248.
“I don’t think they ever really had a run-on with a lot of boundaries,” Jackson said.
“There were times in our innings where we hit a lot of boundaries in clumps, with North Albury, we kept the boundaries fairly well spread apart.”
Wodonga is now the only unbeaten team, although the pair has shown the rest the batting required at the top level.
The duo produced a high-standard 540 runs, eclipsing the previous highest of Belvoir-Wodonga Raiders’ 424 in round two.
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