AIC First XI cricket round 2 report: Young veterans starred for Ash and Villa while St Laurence’s had another hero save the day

AIC First XI cricket: A St Laurence’s player produced one of the best all around efforts of the season while young veterans Finn Thallon (Villanova) and Joey Laner (Ashgrove) delivered in spades. More here.

Oliver Goring - Iona v St Peters during AIC First XI cricket on Saturday.

St Laurence’s College all-rounder Benjamin Stallman starred with bat and ball in the battle of the Saints on Saturday to give his side the edge in round 3 of AIC First XI cricket.

The sensational Stallman hit an innings-changing 47 not out, and then took 4-15 as his team defended 179 by dismissing St Edmund’s for 142.

It was a stellar effort because St Edmund’s had St Laurence’s wrapped around their finger when they were 4-53 and 6-89 when Stallman arrived at the middle and started his rescue mission.

In other games, young veterans Finn Thallon (Villanova) and Joey Laner (Ashgrove) were front and centre for their respective team’s wins.

Iona College have won three games in a row and are on track for another First XI title.

Meanwhile, Iona College remained on track with another victory over St Peters. Iona’s strike power now includes seam bowler Flynn Donnelly, who has gathered momentum with each match this season.

AIC First XI cricket action between St Peters and Iona.

Right arm quick Donnelly claimed 4-16 while mop-up specialist Jesse Haller took 3-4 on the way to Iona winning by six wickets over the Saints.

ST LAURENCE’S v ST EDMUND’S

St Laurence’s winning total of 179 was elevated by medium pace bowler Benjamin Stallman’s commanding 47 not out from 66 balls which inflated the innings nicely.

Eddies’ had done so well to curtail Laurie’s at the start of the day, with Samuel Morris leading the way.

Morris (1-18) bowled 6-1-8-1 as St Laurence’s worked its way to a solid 3-50 by the 19th over before Stallman got things really rolling later in the morning.

Luke Biddle - AIC First XI cricket between Iona and St Peters.

St Edmund’s Hayden Robinson (3-38) did well to collect two early wickets, while Rylan McDonald (1-27) and Max Halls (2-31) were wonderful support bowlers.

Enter Stallman, a No. 8 specialist, who took over the last seven overs of the game to give his side a potentially winning score. His side had just 89 when he entered and when he left the crease they had more than enough runs to play with.

When St Edmund’s batted, Year 12 student Stallman had his way with their batsman while last week’s hero, Jacob Bingham, again delivered with a wonderful display (1-24, 10 overs) in support of Stallman.

Stallman had to be patient.

St Edmund’s fought hard early when Max Halls (50) found willing support.

But Stallman continued to build pressure which led to his four wickets. The game-breaker leaked just 15 runs across his nine overs.

: Lachlan Smith - AIC First XI cricket between Iona and St Peters.

ST PATRICK’S v MARIST

That man Joey Laner was at it again when he bowled his team into a matchwinning position against Paddies.

Laner took 4-16 and Archie Murray 2-6 as St Pat’s were dismissed cheaply in reply to Ashgrove’s 6-190.

Ashgrove First XI captain Joey Laner. Picture courtesy of Denver Jensen.

Marist vice-captain Jack Watson was the rock of the innings with 67 not out, while Will Easter hit an aggressive 31 not out late in the innings.

Earlier, St Pat’s had started so well when fast bowler Alexandra Bullock wheeled down a five over spell which cost him just seven runs.

Having built pressure, Bullock then watched St Pat’s leg-spinner Adam Hogan lure the Ashgrove batsmen into error.

The brother of St Patrick’s batting ace Steve Hogan, Adam displayed great control on his way to dismissing Braidyn Polich and Oliver Hayes.

VILLANOVA v PADUA

Villa’s Finn Thallon was elite with the bat and ball as his side overcame Padua College (110).

Thallon (51) was the aggressive batsmen through the early stages of his team’s innings as Villanova reached 2-85 from 26 overs before going onto make 187.

Finn Thallon as a Northern Suburbs club player - he is also the Villanova captain. Picture Lachie Millard

Thallon then claimed two top order batsmen when he bowled, immediately putting Padua behind in the run chase.

Andrew Dickie (4-23) also played his part with three wickets, including the important scalp of Adam Noon (27), and despite plenty of fight from Ryan Out (42), Villa had the measure of Padua.

Villa bowler Oscar Tesch (1-18, 10 overs) also played his role in building pressure early.

During Villa’s innings, impressive opener Christian Frederiksen (35) played the sheet anchor role as Thallon, the Villa captain, played his shots.

Fraser Smith (25) and Lucas DAmore (18) then knitted together the tail and overall Villa would have been pleased with its 187.

James Turner AIC First XI cricket between Iona and St Peters.

IONA v ST PETERS

Iona’s victory over a competitive St Peters was helped early by Flynn Donnelly’s opening five over burst which yielded 4-16.

The medium pace Year 11 student, who was enjoying his first season of First XI, dismissed St Peters’ top scorer, Oliver Goring, who had played so well to reach 34 from 54 balls.

Importantly, swing bowler Finn Haller claimed Saints’ batting battleship, Isaac Krause, who was caught by Finn’s brother Jesse.

Jesse Haller walking back to his mark plotting how he is going to spin a weave of intrigue around his rivals.

Jesse Haller then had his moment in the sun, taking 3-4 from 3.4 overs.

During the run chase Liam Johns (25, 24) set the tone.

Originally published as AIC First XI cricket round 2 report: Young veterans starred for Ash and Villa while St Laurence’s had another hero save the day