ECA Cricket: Mont Albert defeats Canterbury as Nathan McNally stars
The big names came to the fore as Mont Albert scored a convincing opening-round win over Canterbury in the Eastern Cricket Association.
East
Don't miss out on the headlines from East . Followed categories will be added to My News.
Mont Albert issued a statement of intent to its Eastern Cricket Association premiership rivals with an emphatic opening-round victory over Canterbury on Saturday.
In a rematch of last season’s Dunstan Shield semi-final, Mont Albert cruised to a seven-wicket victory on the back of a performance from Nathan McNally.
The former Prahran skipper hit an unbeaten 77 from 89 balls at the top of the order to bankroll a successful run chase after collecting tidy figures of 2-22 from seven overs with the ball.
New coach Mark Simpson, who arrived from Melbourne University, also contributed 29 and 1-13 in his first game for the club, while another gun recruit in ex-Richmond captain Sam Taylor finished 10 not out and returned 0-18.
“I was really impressed with the way the guys played,” Simpson said.
“Obviously it was my first run with the club, so I didn’t really know what to expect from the match as a whole and from our guys.
“But I couldn’t have been happier really. Batting, bowling and fielding was all really good.”
Simpson lauded the display of former Premier Cricket opponent McNally, who hit 167 runs to go with 12 wickets in his first season at Mont Albert in 2019-20.
The all-rounder showed he will be a force in a summer of one-day fixtures, with his knock lifting his team to the win with 69 balls to spare.
Mont Albert raced to 3-148 from 28.3 overs after bowling out Canterbury for 146.
“He batted superbly right from the start,” said Simpson, who shared a 55-run stand with McNally for the third wicket.
“He backed himself and played some really good attacking shots.
“When you’re chasing those middling totals, it’s nice to almost kill the game in the first 10 overs, which he pretty much did with a bit of help from young Jack Woods (who made 17 from 15) as well. To get off to a start like that, it’s pretty hard for a team defending 140 to pull you back from there.
“We’re lucky to have a pretty experienced team, guys who have played Premier Cricket but also guys who have played a lot of ECA cricket.
“Nathan does all three skills really well. Brett Watkins and Sam Taylor are the same.”
McNally and Watkins (2-25) led the way with the ball as the home side lost its last seven wickets for just 28 after a strong start.
Simpson praised the performance of 15-year-old Lachlan Smit, who returned 1-17 from four overs in his maiden First XI appearance and “looked comfortable at the level”.
“We were able to keep squeezing through the middle overs and kept the pressure on,” he said.
“They probably knew they were a bit behind the rate and had to take some risks and then we were able to take (7-28) to close it out.”
Mont Albert will next face East Doncaster, which scored a seven-wicket win over Heathmont, in a mouth- watering Round 2 encounter.
Simpson said his team would take plenty of confidence from the victory over Canterbury.
“When you get those tough starts (games against Canterbury and East Doncaster), it gives you a good sense of where you’re at,” he said.
“You obviously don’t want to get ahead of yourselves … but to not only beat a team like that, but to beat them the way we did gives us a lot of confidence I think as we head into the rest of the year.”
Elsewhere, Marcellin OC (7-200) knocked off reigning premier North Balwyn.
Old Carey (2-167) outclassed Surrey Hills (166) on Sunday.
MORE CRICKET FROM LEADER COMMUNITY NEWS
‘Step up’: Ayres’ call to cover ex-AFL forward
Montrose coach Gary Ayres discusses his plan to rejig the Dees’ attack following the exit of one of the club’s biggest stars, while there’s also been a package of key signings.
‘Something needs to be done’: Fed-up sporting club’s plea after ‘suspicious’ fire
A suburban sporting club in Melbourne’s outer east says enough is enough after it was hit with a “suspicious” blaze less than a month out from finals.