Sport
20 January, 2025
St Andrews takes firm lead on top of the Grampians Cricket A Grade ladder
St Andrews wins by two wickets, Pomonal victorious by 175 runs.
St Andrews sits 12 points clear on the top of the Grampians Cricket Association A-grade ladder following a two-wicket win against Swifts/Great Western on Saturday, January 18.
Meanwhile, Pomonal's win puts them just three points behind the Combine with just three rounds of play remaining.
Playing at the Gordon Street Reserve, Swifts/Great Western won the toss and elected to bat first.
Fresh from his maiden A-Grade century, Aiden Graveson batted well again, making 70 runs off 86 deliveries, with six boundaries including two sixes.
He put on a 53-run stand with Jacob Dunn that saw the Combine go from 3/78 to 4/131.
Both batters fell to the combination of Vincent Hamman and James Hosking, with Graveson run out and Dunn caught off Hosking's bowling.
A slow outfield meant that each run was well earned, with the Combine running 29 singles and 27 twos during their 40-over innings, which saw them finish with 7/151.
Nick Pell was the pick of the Saints bowlers, taking 2/19 off seven overs while Hosking finished with 2/33 off eight.
St Andrews's run chase got off to a slow start, losing a wicket in the second over.
A patient Ryan Skiller (29 off 82) and Tom Mills (62 off 50) batted well during their 69-run third-wicket partnership.
The hosts were cruising, needing just 28 runs from the final 10 overs; however, when Mills was dismissed, the hosts collapsed from 4/123 to 6/135 in the space of 26 balls.
Hosking (12* off 25) stood tall and, with Riley Taylor, helped the Saints towards victory.
Two wickets in an over from Austin Squire rocked St Andrews, but the hosts stood tall and hit the winning runs in the 39th over.
Squire finished with 2/28 from his five overs, while Zac Marrow (2/31) and Matt Heffer (2/45) kept the Combine in play.
Tigers claw back
Pomonal defeated Rhymney/Moyston by 175 runs off the back of 83 runs from Lynden Brewis and three key wickets by Clayton Mackley.
Playing at Stawell's North Park, the Tigers had a shaky start, losing three wickets for just 28 runs.
Brewis enjoyed an 84-run fourth-wicket with Matt Peel (54 off 38), followed by a 76-run fifth-wicket partnership with Mackley (62 off 49), which laid the foundation for a mammoth total.
Pomonal were bowled out for 253, with Daniel Walker taking 3/59, while Glen Cosgriff (2/48) and Clintin Slorach (2/35) among the wickets.
IN reply, Rhymney/Moyston's run chase got off to a solid start, with Eyan Habib (26 off 31) and Shane Evison (16 off 27) carving out a 41-run partnership.
However, once both men were dismissed, Rhymney/Moyston struggled, losing its last eight wickets for just 31 runs.
Mackley finished with 3/13 off four overs, while Matt Dean (2/2) and Lane Jackson (2/5) were equally impressive.
There will be no cricket across the Australia Day long weekend, with action resuming on February 1.
Round 13 will see St Andrews host Pomonal at the Gordon Street Reserve, while Rhymney/Moyston and Halls Gap at the Moyston Recreation Reserve.