Tara Murray
Bellbridge produced one of its best performances of the season to return to the winners list in the Victorian Turf Cricket Association division 4 on Saturday.
After a tough start to the season with one win from their first six matches, the Bears accounted for Laverton.
The Bears made 9-184 from their overs with Daniel Spencer top scoring with 83 off 96 balls.
Laverton was in trouble at 4-5 and struggled throughout the innings with just three players reaching double figures.
Laverton was bowled out for 114 in the 31st over. Arun Joiya took three wickets for the Bears.
Speaking before the match, Bears skipper Dillon Hinge said they hadn’t quite got off to the start they had been hoping for.
“We’ve had a lot of young kids in the first and second XIs,” he said.
“We’re getting development into the young kids which has been good in a way. We’ve had a few unavailability and injuries, so we’ve played a few more than we had expected to.
“Hopefully at the back end of the season we’ll start to see some of those results pay off.”
Hinge said they had been keen to give some of their younger players a go this season, with a number still playing junior cricket as well.
Connor Le Noury made his first XI debut last season and has really stepped it up in the pre-season.
Jarrod Gaylard has come up and cemented his spot in the second side.
“They’re not looking out of place at all,” Hinge said.
Hinge said they were hopeful of having closer to a full strength side which is only going to benefit them.
They have one match left before the Christmas break.
“We had rain at the start of the year after COVID really hurt cricket,” he said.
“We’ve got a few back from holidays the last couple of weeks. We’ve been there or thereabouts and not playing bad cricket at all.
“We’ve been blown out in one or two games. We’re aiming to put two wins on the board heading into the Christmas break and then going from there.”
Hinge said if they were still in the mix at the break, they back themselves in for a strong second half of the season.
He said they were looking forward to the return of two-day cricket.
“We fancy ourselves in two-day cricket,” he said.
“We planned around two-day cricket and recruited for it, but you can’t plan the weather.
“After Christmas we get back into two-day cricket and we’ll aim for finals and who knows from there.”
Overall, Hinge said things were going really well with it being the best club that he has been involved in.
Meanwhile in division 3, Point Cook was too strong for Sunbury.
Sunbury made 7-157 before Point Cook finished with 3-160 in reply.
Werribee Centrals suffered a loss to Pascoe Vale Hadfield.
Centrals were bowled out for 155 with Pascoe Vale Hadfield hitting 7-156 in reply.
