Williamstown Colts batsman Sameer Aryabhaget plays one of the shots of the day through covers against Grand United fast bowler Glenn Sullivan. 74778 Picture: EMILY LANE
By Liam Twomey
WILLIAMSTOWN Colts are in danger of suffering an outright defeat at the hands of Grand United after a disappointing performance with the bat in the Williamstown and District Cricket Association.
Grand United won the toss and elected to bowl and it didn’t take long for the decision to pay dividends.
Led by fast bowler Glenn Sullivan, the Williamstown batsmen proved no match for a fired up attack that was happy to be playing some cricket after four draws this season.
The best the Colts could do was occupy the crease as they hung in for every run they could get but were ultimately bowled out for 93 after 62 overs.
Sullivan was the chief destroyer for the Gorillas, taking 4/35 from his 19 overs while 17-year-old Josh MacDonald was also outstanding with the ball, finishing with 3/8.
From the 62 overs, 25 were maidens as the Colts were put under extreme pressure.
With just a small target in place, the Gorillas had one eye on wrapping up the victory inside a day as one of the strongest batting line-ups in the WDCA got its turn in the middle.
However, it wouldn’t be a match involving Grand United without some rain and the chase was halted after just nine overs with the score on 0/19.
Dillion Hinge was looking comfortable at the crease and will resume his innings on 11 this week. Mojtaba Jabar will be at the other end on one not out.
Grand United batsmen Carl Comensoli said the side was rapt with the performance after day one.
“We are well on top so we really need to push ahead next week and get them back in,” he said.
“The plan will be to bat for about 35 or 40 overs and then put them in and try and knock them over again. I think we need to be around 120 in front.”
If Grand United can pull off the outright win it will go a long way to making up for a slow start to the year because of so many washed out matches.
“We just need to make the four. The two sides above us are a fair way out in front now in Newport and Williamstown but we are hoping to track them down after Christmas,” Comensoli said.
Williamstown will be on the hunt for early wickets when play resumes on Saturday as the Colts try to pull off a miraculous upset victory.
