Ocean Grove is the outright BPCA A1 ladder leader after three rounds after a tense one-day victory over a gallant Barrabool at Ray Menzies Memorial Oval on Saturday.
Needing seven runs for victory off the final over after Ocean Grove was all out for 169, the Bulls fell agonisingly short by two runs to finish at 8/167 from 40 overs.
“I think they (Barrabool) needed seven runs off the last over – the game ebbed and flowed…during parts of the game we were fortunate enough to win the crucial moments,” Ocean Grove Cricket Club coach Paul Jubber said.
“It was definitely a wake-up call even though we won, it could have certainly gone either way.”
Jubber, a catalyst in the win after his 57 not out and 3/35, said there was plenty of improvement needed with his side’s batting despite the club’s unblemished start to season.
The Bulls dug the Grubbers into a hole at 7/106 before the home side recovered.
Shaun Fankhasuer contributed 27 at top of the order, while Barrabool quartet Kane Pickering (3/44), Nathan Findlay (2/14), Aaron Pickering (2/35) and Fin Peel (2/38) all took wickets.
“Our batting wasn’t great, we have got a lot of work to do in that area and I know it is early in the season but our batsman need to continue to work hard on their game,” he said.
“I generally think our batting was quite poor, our bowling was quite poor and we lacked consistency with the ball and our fielding was quite poor.”
Jubber combined in valuable eighth and ninth wicket partnerships with Lindon Giuffrida (16) and Matt Caulfield (17) respectively as the Grubbers set up a competitive target of 170 for Barrabool to chase down.
Barrabool got off to a terrific start thanks to half-centuries from key pair Kane Pickering (53) and a clean hitting Nathan Bisset (69).
Seemingly in control at 1/126, the loss of Bulls’ skipper Pickering restricted the run flow as Barrabool lost 6/34.
“We knew if we get could a break-through with those two (Pickering and Bisset) at the crease it would expose their middle and lower orders and we felt we were a chance to win the game,” he said.
Grubber Tom Beasley was a star contributor after he took 3/42.
IN other developments, Jubber described the Grubbers’ A1 victory over Anglesea in their Round 2 one-day clash against Anglesea on 13 October as bittersweet.
Anglesea defeated Ocean Grove in last season’s A Grade decider.
“Beating Anglesea was obviously ‘bittersweet’ for us, it was obviously great we were able to beat them and slightly avenge the loss of last season’s grand final,” Jubber said.
INVERLEIGH cruised to a six-wicket win over Ocean Grove in A2 in its one-day game at Inverleigh.
Batting first Ocean Grove was restricted to 8/82 from 40 overs, while the home side compiled 4/87 from 28.5 overs and won with more than 11 overs to spare.
The Grubbers’ second XI remain winless after three matches in the A2 competition.
GRUBBER batsman Greg Scarpa’s 69 with the bat was not enough for Ocean Grove to win its B2 one-day match against Armstrong Creek at Ocean Grove Memorial Reserve.
The Grubbers compiled 9/161 from its 40 overs and in reply Armstrong Creek finished at 6/163 from 38.4 overs.
Ocean Grove bowler Callum Docherty took 3/49.
COLLENDINA (5/110) defeated Ocean Grove (8/103) by five wickets in their D Grade one-day clash at St Leonards.
