Yarraville restricted Melton to a reachable 8-224 on a flat wicket in the Victorian Sub-District Cricket Association east-west group season opener at the Yarraville Oval on Saturday.
The Eagles received a meaningful contribution from their medium pacers early in the day and stifled the visitors’ progress with spin late.
“We felt we performed quite well,” Eagles player-coach Adam Yates said after the first day of the two-day game. The deck was flat and didn’t offer much assistance to the bowlers, but I thought our fielding was fantastic and our bowlers kept to their task.”
With the score at 5-68, the Eagles were well and truly on top. But the Lions’ middle order fired in the form of Jeremy Liddy (42) and Nathan Allen (84no).
That partnership garnered 82 for the sixth wicket and took some of the gloss off the Eagles’ work from earlier in the day.
What Liddy and Allen did show is that with a bit of application, runs can be made on this pitch – heartening knowledge for the Eagles heading into day two.
For the Eagles, English import Curtis Maguire made an impressive return to the top side with 1-16 off 11.
His new ball partner, Alex Hewat, made a bright start with 2-57 off 21, while Nick Parish was a touch expensive with 1-66 off 15. Young spinner Josh Raymer was praised for his tight bowling late in the day when the Lions were striving for quick runs. He finished with 0-30 off 14.
Yates believes the Eagles are capable of chasing down.
“It’s all about laying the platform,” he said. “If we can bat really well until tea and give our middle order players a chance after, it’s achievable, definitely.”
Williamstown’s clash with Croydon and Altona’s date with Mt Waverley will revert to one-dayers on Saturday after no play was possible on day one.
