First-year Crow loving life at East Albury with youngsters

Brett Davies is thriving at East Albury after three years at Lavington.

"I absolutely loved it (at Lavington) and 'Lavi's' been successful for a long period and being closer to the end of the career than the beginning, when (East Albury coach) Dylan (Weeding) approached me about working with the group, adding a bit of balance and experience, it all made sense," he said.

"We have no out and out superstars, I've really embraced it, it's been fantastic."

MILOSTA MUSCLE

East has stunned the association, catapulting from eighth last season to second.

And in another positive, swashbuckling batsman Kris Milosta posted his highest score of the season in thumping Tallangatta.

Milosta hammered 44 from 29 balls, including eight fours and a six.

The former rep player had a breakout 2018-19, finishing eighth with 557 runs at 33.

"He showed some really good signs, hitting the ball really hard and really clean," Davies said.

SON BEATS DAD

Wodonga players weren't about to let veteran Bob Jackson get away without some sledging after son Charlie took more wickets on Saturday.

"They were bowling in tandem for a while, we were getting into (Bob), saying, 'Charlie's doing better than you'," BJ Garvey laughed.

An off-spinner, just like his dad, Charlie took 6-30 to end Albury's hopes.

"He took a heap of big scalps, for him to get six wickets is awesome," Garvey said.

RIVAL SPINNER

Meanwhile, Albury's Innocent Kaia had Wodonga's top order in a spin.

"I didn't face him, but the boys said he was very hard to get away, he changed his pace well and skidded them through, he bowls quick leggies," Garvey said.

The former Zimbabwe under 19 player has impressed with 122 runs at 41 and five wickets at 12.

Wodonga's Cam Suidgeest has been the standout quick, but he went wicketless for the first time at 50-over level this season as Kaia smashed 78.

IN OTHER NEWS:

MOVES LIKE ... MCCARTY

Belvoir's Will McCarty played a vital role in the club's tie against St Patrick's.

The Eagles were defending 185 and the Patties looked in control at 1-77 when McCarty snapped a dangerous stand with a run out of Nick Flood.

Yet despite his match-turning effort, the Eagles still sledged their own.

"He (McCarty) usually has got a bit of a strutt, the strutt was going around after that," team-mate Brad Freake laughed.

MR CONSISTENCY

Just on St Pat's and it's found a regular run-scorer at the top of the order.

Neil Smith has just passed his best-ever season with eight rounds, and possibly finals, left.

The left-hander sits fourth with 353 runs at 39.22, including three half-centuries.

Now in his sixth year, Smith's previous best was 352 at 35.2 in 2015-16.

In his other four seasons, Smith has averaged under 20.

Seventh-placed St Pat's host fifth-placed Tallangatta.