WHILE results mostly panned out as expected in these Christmas clashes, the true festive spice was added by bowlers in Ballarat Cricket Association club firsts.
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Sure, East Ballarat got the five runs it needed to defeat Brown Hill – the Hawks did so within the first overs’ play at Western
Oval.
But it was Bulls captain Jason Knowles who added bite with a three-wicket over in his second over on day two – on the first, third and fifth balls.
It might not have been a hat-trick, nor was Knowles on a hat-trick, but it definitely put some angst into the Hawks’ efforts to bat on for awhile.
Simultaneously at Wendouree, sixteen-year-old Red Cap Austen Prendergast was doing most of the damage.
Ballarat-Redan had been steadily chasing the Red Caps’ 270 runs to tea and, at 5-153, looked a chance.
Little did the Combine know that fifth wicket sparked an horrific collapse – they lost their final six wickets for just two runs.
The Combine lost their last eight wickets for 20 runs.
Prendergast finished with 4-27. Three of his scalps were cleanly bowled, the other dismissed lbw.
Knowles did not slow momentum either after his three-wicket over.
The Bulls’ skipper nabbed wickets in his next two overs and, with a wicket from day one, finished with a 6-36 haul off 10 overs.
Paceman Matt McMahon and young gun Billy Hoye chipped in a wicket each on day two as the Hawks’ built a 143-run innings for a 49-run win.
The Bulls then batted a little until tea, making 3-45. Hawks Josh Brown took all three wickets.
It was decided to pull stumps for Christmas.
Polishing off the first innings victory has moved East Ballarat into the four while a strong start to the season keeps Brown Hill in second spot.
The fight for ladder rankings is tight and a bumper Brown Hill-Wendouree one-day showdown will launch a re-start to the season on January 11.
LADDER STANDINGS AT CHRISTMAS BREAK: MT CLEAR 36 points, 2.5230 per cent*; BROWN HILL 28, 1.6277; WENDOUREE 24, 2.0388; EAST BALLARAT 22, 1.0249; Napoleons-Sebastopol 22, 0.8239; North Ballarat 21, 1.1618*; Golden Point 15, 0.9592; Darley 12, 1.0288; Ballarat-Redan 12, 0.5575; Coronet City 0, 0.3364.
*percentage not adjusted for this round