Lara thrashed a star-studded East Belmont to bring up its first win of the Geelong Cricket Association campaign on Saturday October 21.
East Belmont won the toss and batted at Winter Reserve, but was in immediate trouble as Daniel Blatherwick (2/33) and Casey Young (3/17) removed the top order.
Mitchell Heyward (2/25) and Daniel Hughes (1/19 from 10 overs) were introduced into the attack and continued to drive the advantage home for Lara.
Only Danny Hegarty looked assured at the crease for East Belmont, making 41 from 93 deliveries.
Lara skipper Daniel Weigl said the pitch played well and that his bowlers and fielders executed their plans brilliantly.
Lara lost a thriller in round one and also went down in round two, but has been threatening to take a scalp.
“For East Belmont, they just happened to nick everything, every ball that went in the air went to a fielder,” Weigl said.
“Whereas sometimes you have days where the opposite occurs. I thought we fielded really well. We bowled really well as a collective.”
At 8/79, East Belmont bowlers Jack Jenkins and Dylan Moroney added 31 for the ninth wicket, but a final total of 115 was always going to be tough to defend.
Lara lost a wicket early in its run chase, but Andrew Hughes belted 46 from 36 balls to drag the game back into the away side’s favour.
“He didn’t go out there with the intent to score that quickly,” Weigl said.
“He just played really good cricket shots. He’s had a couple of issues with injuries, but when he’s up and going there’s not many better players in the whole comp.”
Casey Young completed a fine player of the match performance by playing the sheet anchor role to remain unbeaten on 43 from 94 balls to get Lara to the required total with seven wickets and 21 overs remaining.
“He’s got an awesome defence,” Weigl said.
“(The situation) suited him perfectly. He’s only moved up the order in the last year or two, but he’s got the skill set. It suits that sort of role.”
Lara faces St Joseph’s this weekend, but Weigl said he hadn’t set any strict overall goals for his side this season.
“Our best is as good as anyone else, we’re really confident of that,” he said.
“It’s just producing it often enough.”
ST JOSEPH’S cruised to an eight-wicket win against Newtown & Chilwell.
Sam Mitchell made 63 in the Two Blues’ total of 185 while Brandon Purcell picked up 3/28 for Joeys.
Andrew Casey (65 not out) and Andrew Hodgson (55) then made sure the target was reached in 44 overs.
MICHAEL McNeel’s golden season continued as Grovedale defeated Highton.
McNeel took his run tally to 198 this season with a superb 98 from 95 deliveries in Grovedale’s score of 8/254.
Greg Willows went one better, but like McNeel, fell agonisingly short of a ton, making 99 from 104 for Highton, however the Tigers prevailed by 50 runs.
NORTH Geelong returned to the winner’s list with a nine-wicket thumping of South Barwon.
Paceman Dale Kerr took 3/19 from nine overs as North Geelong restricted South Barwon to 6/138 from 50 overs.
Ned Cooper (73 not out) and Curtly Balshaw (45 not out) then peeled off an unbroken 134-run second-wicket stand to guide North Geelong home.
