Hoppers Crossing continued its winning ways as the Victorian Sub-District Cricket Association kicked off for 2024 on the weekend.
On a green-top at Ivanhoe Park the Cats were able to put up a strong score of 143 in tough batting conditions.
Cats’ captain-coach Simon Lambert top scored for his club making 62 in an entertaining knock that included seven fours and one major.
With the ball after the Cats’ Edward Common dismissed both of Ivanhoe’s opening batsmen, former Victorian spinner Fawad Ahmed was thrown the ball and was at his destructive best.
The leg-spinner took a sensational seven wickets for just twenty two runs, running through Ivanhoe’s batting lineup.
Ahmed is now leading the competition’s bowling charts with 28 wickets at an average of just seven.
Thanks to the bowling masterclass Ivanhoe survived just 24.4 overs, with just 74 runs on the board, securing the Cats’ fifth win in a row after losing three on the trot to begin the season.
The Cats now sit in fourth position on the VSDCA ladder with 11th placed Yarraville to come on Saturday.
It wasn’t the dream return to cricket for Werribee as it couldn’t back up its pre-break winning form.
The Tigers faced Yarraville on Saturday afternoon at Yarraville Oval where they won the toss and batted.
The Tigers were away to a strong start, with opening batsman Shaun Dean top scoring with 67 however, the middle order was not able to keep the ball rolling. After being 2-100, the Tigers lost their next four wickets for just 20 runs putting them in a tough spot.
Some late runs gave their bowlers something to defend, with the Tigers concluding their 45 overs at 9-168.
Yet, this was not enough for a hungry Yarraville side, chasing the runs down in 41 overs just four wickets down.
James Freeman was a standout for the Tigers with the ball, taking three for 31 off his nine overs.
The Tigers are again away on Saturday, travelling to play second on the ladder Kew.
