The First XI have broken their 2020/21 season drought with a win over Greenvale in skipper Andrew Fekete’s 150th game.
With both teams sitting winless heading into the fixture and looking to jump start their respective seasons, plenty was at stake. The Kangaroos elected to bowl first at McQueen Park as they set about taking advantage of the cold and overcast conditions with the Pies making a cautious start in response.
Given the Camberwell’s lackluster performances with the bat so far this season, many observers could be forgiven in thinking the Pies were teetering at 3/72. Enter the Akshay Kodoth and Hamish Burrill, who put together an authoritative 146-run partnership. Elevated to first drop after spending most of the season in the traditional keeper’s spot of No.7, Kodoth played his best innings for the club thus far with a classy 90 off 99 balls (6 x 4s and 2 x 6s), while second gamer Burrill wasted no time making a massive impression in the top grade as he was left stranded just short of a maiden First XI century (99* off 105 balls, 6 x 4s and 3 x 6s). The duo’s partnership lifted Camberwell to its highest score of the year – 4/250.
With the ball, the Pies made early inroads to leave the Roos in trouble at 4/50. But Greenvale’s Matthew Harrision and captain Michael Stretton combined to put on 105 to give the Roos a sniff before reigning Stackpole Medallist Tom Russ turned the match back into the Magpies’ favour. First he ran out Stretton for a well-made 71 before dismissing Harrison for 40 to put the Pies on the path to their first victory for the season.
Russ finished with the tidy figures of 3/28 and Chris Bridle picked up 3/30 as Camberwell bowled our Greenvale for 211.
Unfortunately for the Second XI and Fourth XI overnight rain made conditions unplayable out at Greenvale, leaving the Third XI as the only other grade to play.
Bowling first after losing the toss at Watson Park, the Magpies’ bowlers combined to put in an extremely disciplined performance to dismiss the Roos for 145. Skipper Adrian Vidajic ripped through the middle to lower order to finish with 4/28 while youngster Henry Smith registered the next best figures with 2/26.
In reply, the Pies found themselves in early trouble at 5/34 and staring down the barrel of a convincing loss. But Vidajic (29 off 24 balls) and youngster Dhruv Redhu combined to rebuild the innings to give Camberwell an outside shot of victory.
Redhu continued to bat with maturity beyond his years as batted with the tail to guide Camberwell home to a thrilling one wicket victory; bringing up the winning runs and his half century (55* off 84) with a six.
With some momentum now under out belts, we turn our attention to taking on Richmond next week.
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