By ADEM SARICAOGLU
BACCHUS Marsh will travel to Riddell this weekend after getting through to the semi-final stage in the Gisborne and District Cricket Association’s McIntyre Cup.
With Sunbury and Riddell blitzing the competition to finish well-clear of the chasing pack, Bacchus Marsh settled for third spot after ending its home-and-away season with a very solid win over Wallan at Maddingley Park.
The win was inevitable after Bacchus Marsh dominated with the bat on day one last week, blasting 8/298 with Peter Lalor playing a starring role on his way to 130.
On Saturday it was the bowlers’ turn to shine, and shine they did for the 39 overs it took to claim victory.
Wallan never really got going as Bacchus Marsh took the visitor to the sword.
The 10th and final wicket of the game was claimed with Wallan stuck on 123.
Ian Spiteri was the statistical standout of the Bacchus Marsh attack, collecting the very tidy figures of 3/10 and two maidens off just seven overs.
Mark Hooper (2/19) and Nick Strangio (2/23) also proved quite handy for the host, while Andrew Dickinson also came to the party with a wicket of his own.
Meanwhile down the other end of the McIntyre Cup table, wooden-spooner St Anthony’s couldn’t add to its lone win of the summer, going down to finals-bound Sunbury on the road.
First innings points had already been decided after day one of the clash at Melton Recreation Reserve last week but the pain only got worse for the home team on Saturday.
In response to St Anthony’s first innings dig of 99, Sunbury only needed 33 overs to declare at 8/192.
The second innings for St Anthony’s proved no better than its first, falling for 93 runs in just 37 and a half overs.
Sunbury only needed to face two balls to get the outright win, scoring the required four runs off the bat of Brad Hunter.
