Tara Murray
Bellbridge is hoping to finish the Victorian Turf Cricket Association division 4 season on a high.
While a tough start to the season, with just one win from six matches, the Bears have started to show some positive signs since Christmas.
Captain Dillon Hinge said it had been good to see some good signs after the Christmas break.
“Being such a young side it can be demoralising for the young kids, losing week in, week out,” he said..
“It’s been a lot more positive in the two-day cricket. We’ve looked stronger.
“We were saying that would be the case at the start of the season, we thought we would play our best cricket in the two day games.
“We won our first game and the other was called off. We’ve shown after Christmas that we can be competitive and we’re not that far away in this grade.”
The Bears had a solid first day against Maribyrnong Park St Marys on Saturday.
The finals-bound Maribyrnong Park was bowled out for 208.
Hinge said they were happy to restrict them to that score.
“We beat Maribyrnong last year at the same point as it was leading into finals,” he said.
“It’s something that we do pretty regularly.
“We did let them get away a bit more than we would have liked, it was looking like a 170-180 score.
“To bowl them out for 200 in the 71st over with a lightning quick outfield, isn’t too bad.”
Connor Le Noury took 6-32 for the Bears.
The Bears had to face six overs at the end of day one.
They will resume at 1-4.
Hinge said the focus for the first XI was to continue having fun out there and hopefully dent a few sides’ finals hopes.
“Hopefully we can get a few wins and be able to build on it next year.”
While the first XI won’t play finals, the Bears other three sides will play finals.
In other matches, Point Cook is on top against the Williamstown Imperials in division 3.
Point Cook bowled the Imperials out for 119, before quickly moving along to 0-53 in its innings.
Werribee Centrals are on the back foot against East Keilor.
Centrals was bowled out for 122. East Keilor is 6-85.
In division 5. Wyndhamvale has already conceded first innings points against Footscray Angliss.
Wyndhamvale was bowled out for just 67, with Footscray Angliss making 8-164.
Wyndhamvale is 0-40 in its second innings.
Sanctuary Lakes is 0-6 in reply to Melton Centrals’ 266.
