Lachie Sperling, Dylan Hodge star in Newtown & Chilwell’s 157-run GCA1 win against Grovedale
Gun recruit Lachie Sperling has made a strong impression since joining Newtown & Chilwell this summer, but it’s his latest performance with the bat which has shown just how good he is.
Newtown and Chilwell has leapt a further game clear at the top of the table, its 157-run defeat of Grovedale making it the only GCA1 side to taste victory in round 11.
The Two Blues found a bevy of run scorers, no one more impressive than Lachie Sperling – who capitalised on an outstanding 106-run third-wicket partnership between opener Dylan Hodge (77) and Englishman Ronnie McKenna (59) – to come in and bludgeon an electrifying unbeaten 122 from just 93 balls.
Sperling’s thunderous innings was populated by 11 fours and four sixes.
“We all know how good Lachie is, coming from Premier Cricket last season, he’s a freak; every week at training he’s so good in the nets, when you’re bowling to him, you’re just wondering how you’re going to get this bloke out,” in-awe teammate Noah Guida said post-game.
“He’s very structurally sound, but he’s also got that top gear where he can attack the bowlers and take them on, which is what he showed today, he was great.
“He’s been amazing around the group, using his Premier experience helping us out with tactics and understanding how the game works.”
Guida was also full of praise for the way in which Hodge persevered through a testing early spell of bowling, particularly from Tiger paceman Sam Coutts (1-28).
“It was a pretty difficult pitch to bat on, as shown by the total that Grovedale put up last week, we knew it wasn’t going to be an easy chase but I think we went in with a clear mindset this week of just facing every ball on its merit,” Guida said.
“It was about looking to score when we could and not letting the pressure of the run rate or the memories of the balls from last week affect how we batted.
“Hodgie likes taking on the bowlers and trying to knock them out of the attack; he was obviously aggressive, but he also showed that he can bat through and bat time.”
Tyson Windus enjoyed a blistering 53-ball stay at the wicket, peppering the boundaries for five fours and two sixes on the way to 57, sharing in a rollicking 112-run union with Sperling.
– Newtown and Chilwell 5-367 def. Grovedale 210
East Belmont 9-314 drew with North Geelong 321
The contest may have ended in a draw, but spectators would be hard-pressed to witness a more engaging battle as arch rivals East Belmont and North Geelong went at it at Winter Reserve.
Resuming at 2-4, the Lions began their chase of the Magpies’ imposing 321 with optimism although the loss of the clean striking Zak Tribe (15) was a setback at 28.
Batting in the uncharacteristic position of number five, skipper Shane McNamara joined the dogged Danny Hegarty (32) in adding 80 before the latter fell to the accurate finger spin of Alistair McCann (2-41).
Needing to win to keep their season alive, the seventh-placed Lions remained on the attack with McNamara going on to celebrate his season’s second century, a masterful 109 produced from 186 balls and comprising 11 fours and a six.
The captain’s knock took his aggregate to 576 runs at an average of 64.
McNamara’s contribution drew on the support of Locky Inglis (27), Hayden McMahon (42) and a particularly imaginative 44-ball 50 from Luke Inglis, although time won out in the end with Dale Kerr (3-73) picking up the wicket of Inglis with the final ball.
That left East Belmont nine wickets down, but eight runs short of victory.
Highton 7-248 drew with St Peter’s 6-280
St Peter’s (30.6 points) continues to sit just .3 of a point behind fourth-placed Highton (30.9), after the pair played out an engaging draw at McDonald Reserve.
Luke Ford began the day by answering the question on everyone’s minds, batting on for a further four overs as younger brother Billy (101 not out) added an additional 13 runs to complete his third century of the summer.
Declaring at 6-280, the Saints left the Heat 73 overs in which to bat and were met with stubborn resistance as Brady Somers (44) and Zac Wills (20) started positively.
The fall of Wills was closely followed by the prized wicket of Greg Willows (9), before Jack Cook settled the innings with a classy 58.
James Gillard was proactive before falling for 26, while Lewis Campbell unleashed his expansive stroke play in a majestic 58-ball unbeaten 61.
Despite the Heat’s optimism, late wickets to Josh Sorgiovanni (2-30) sucked the wind out of the home side’s sails, falling short of victory by 33 runs but with three wickets in hand.
South Barwon 9-184 drew with St Joseph’s 8-268
Back spasms sustained by firebrand Tom Smith (2-0) almost certainly robbed St Joseph’s of victory against South Barwon after the Joeys paceman tore through the Swans top order with a scintillating opening two overs that had the Reynolds Oval tenants reeling at 2-0.
However, with Smith forced from the field, South Barwon dug in to consolidate its innings with a 47-run partnership between Cohen Hall (29) and Sam Ellis (19), followed by an invaluable sixth wicket stand of 54 between Bryson Nicholls (28) and Brad Hauenstein.
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Acting as captain in the absence of Nick Butters, Hauenstein managed the back half of the Swans innings superbly, soaking up 151 balls in striking another 61 to take his season’s tally to 279 runs at an average of 46.5.
Wicketkeeper Will Breuer played responsibly for an unbeaten 86-ball 25, defying Ryan Simmonds (2-23), Cam Port (2-37) and Andy Vine (2-53) along the way to ensure a draw.
Remarkably the Joeys are still alive, sitting just 7.5 points behind fourth-placed Highton.
Originally published as Lachie Sperling, Dylan Hodge star in Newtown & Chilwell’s 157-run GCA1 win against Grovedale
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