By ANDREW COOK
MANSFIELD'S B-grade team hosted their last home game of the year on Saturday against Beechworth Wanderers.
Attempting to capitalise on the hot weather and a few late arrivals for Delatite, Beechworth chose to bat and put our team into the field.
Beechworth’s top three set the example for the rest of their batting order, hitting out hard at any loose deliveries while defending good balls.
Two dropped catches in two balls off the bowling of Sid Kalyanaraman did not help Delatite’s cause, and it wasn’t until the appearance of first-change bowler Rick Mills and a screamer from Garth Lawrie at mid off that Delatite finally broke through for their first wicket.
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Mills chipped in for a second to claim the scalps of both openers, before leg spinners Josh Cook and first-gamer Frank Cupples took centre stage.
Both benefited from some overly lusty swinging from Beechworth’s middle and lower order, Cupples finishing on 2/32 off eight overs while Cook claimed the best figures for the day with 2/14 and climbed to the top of the B-grade team’s wicket-taking table for the season.
Beechworth finished on 7/154, a healthy total but not an intimidating one.
Delatite’s reply began carefully; runs were scored off any bad balls but these came rarely as Beechworth opening bowlers Lachlan Fitzpatrick and Ben Cogger maintained a good line and length throughout their spells.
Delatite captain Nick Ferguson fell in the sixth over with the score on 15, bringing Trent Berry to the crease in his first game of the season after recovering from injury.
He and opener Mills put on a fine 46 run partnership, highlighted by their sharp running between the wickets and careful shot selection.
When Berry was caught out after drinks trying to boost the run rate the remaining Delatite batting order struggled to put together meaningful partnerships, with Mitch Clarke the only lower order batter passing five runs.
The heat went out of the match at the same time the day was cooling off, the required run-rate proving to be too high for the one-short Delatite line-up.
Mills narrowly missed out on carrying his bat, being bowled with nine balls left in the innings after making an excellent 41.
Delatite finished on 7/98.
The last B-grade game of the year will be an away match on Saturday against Benalla Bushrangers who have been having another excellent season, however Delatite will surely remember how close they came to toppling the Bushrangers at home last year and will be keen to turn the tables this time around.
