Lakes Entrance made it eight wins from nine matches this season after scoring a win by Duckworth Lewis Method over Orbost during round nine Bairnsdale Cricket Association action at the Orbost Recreation Reserve last Saturday.
The win consolidates the Seagulls’ second place on the table, and was great for morale, with Tom Stubbs returning for his first game of the season belting an impressive 54 from 44 balls, including seven crisply struck boundaries.
Lakes co-captain Ben John won the toss and elected to bat on a belting wicket, but it certainly wasn’t smooth sailing for the Seagulls despite posting an imposing 9/244 from their 45-over allotment.
In trouble early at 3/54, it was the Seagulls’ new found belief and ability to manufacture partnerships that has held it in good stead all season that enabled it to post a score, which was around the par mark, given the quality of the wicket and speed of the outfield.
Josh Sackfield again impressed early making a classy 25, but it was three significant partnerships that enabled the Seagulls to set what turned out to be a winning total.
Consistent import Jack Timms (41) and co-captain Jake Le Maitre (40) worked Lakes back into into the game with a solid sixth wicket unison of 42 after Phani Kumar and Kaleb Day were dismissed in quick succession.
At 6/128 when Timms departed, Orbost was well on top, but enter Stubbs who added 64 with Le Maitre at run-a-ball pace to even the ledger back up.
The reintroduction of Blues opening bowler Nick Davis (4/49) saw him claim Le Maitre, Ryan Hooper and Stubbs in quick succession, Lakes looking likely to be a few runs short at 9/213, but an enterprising unbeaten last wicket partnership between Joel Barnett (19 from 20) and Sam Kincaid (11 from six) wrestled the ascendancy back the way of the Seagulls.
Travis Price impressed in his first game for the season for Orbost taking 3/37.
In reply Orbost made its way to 3/106 in the 23rd over when the heavens opened, with no further play possible.
The match was still in the balance with Mikael Hulme leading the way for the Blues with an unbeaten 50, which included seven boundaries.
He was at the crease with the team’s leading run scorer for the season, Luke Endley, who had worked his way to 13.
The match was awarded to Lakes Entrance as they were ahead at the time on the Duckworth Lewis system which is a mathematical formulation designed to calculate the target score (number of runs needed to win) for the team batting second in a limited overs cricket match interrupted by weather or other circumstances.
Lakes will do battle with fourth-placed Meerlieu this week at the Meerlieu Cricket Ground.
In “B” grade, the Seagulls went down to top side Bruthen at the Lakes Entrance Recreation Reserve by 70 runs.
The Seagulls sent Bruthen into bat and did well to restrict them to 9/181 from their 40 overs, with the wickets shared between
Lachlan Ymer (2/13), Jack Reggardo (2/15), Laurie Thomson (2/29) and Will Forrester (2/32).
In reply Lakes could only muster 111, dismissed in the 37th over, with Xavier Woodland top scoring with 29 before being run out.
Harry Reed contributed 23 and Ben Cameron 15.
The Seagulls currently sit in eighth place on the ladder two games outside the top four, with six rounds remaining.
This week Lakes will host cellar dweller Buchan at the Lakes Entrance Recreation Reserve, a chance to get on a roll and mount a case for finals action.
The under 13s are in recision for the Christmas holidays, with the next match on January 31 when Lakes Entrance White and Maroon will go head-to-head at St Brendans.
