BPCA wrap: Simon Umbers, Daniel Donaldson, Brent McMinn make impact in Barwon Heads-Anglesea clash

One of Anglesea’s future leaders showed his fighting qualities as fierce rivals Barwon Heads pressed hard, while the Drysdale and Jan Juc match took a dramatic twist. It’s all in the Bellarine Peninsula Cricket Association wrap.

Simon Umbers plays a hook shot for Anglesea against Barwon Heads on Saturday. Picture: Alan Barber

One of Anglesea’s future leaders showed his fighting qualities on Saturday to set the scene for another absorbing battle with rivals Barwon Heads in the Bellarine Peninsula Cricket Association.

Young opener Simon Umbers put away 8 fours on his way to 76 as the ladder-leading Roos compiled 9-191 in a rematch of last season’s A1 Grade grand final.

His defiant 169-ball stay ended in the 58th over when he was run out.

It was Umbers’ fourth half-century of the season, taking his run tally to 341, at 48.7, for the campaign.

“In our planning at the start of the year Simon was going to bat at six or seven and then because our opener went overseas he put a case forward to open and he hasn’t looked back,” Anglesea coach Bryan Thomas said.

“He made 76. I was disappointed he didn’t get his hundred but that’s his fourth score for the year so as a young bloke coming through we’re pretty impressed with that.

“You’ve got to see the next generation coming through and he’s probably going to be one of the leaders.”

Brent McMinn sends one down for Barwon Heads. Picture: Alan Barber

Barwon Heads, after an early burst of pace by Harry Hyland (1-23), turned to its slowies and hustled through the overs.

Seagulls skipper Daniel Donaldson (3-54 off 23 overs) and Brent McMinn (3-34 off 13 overs) built the pressure with accurate spin.

While Umbers anchored the innings, Anglesea also had vital contributions from Tyron Norman (28) at the top and middle order men Victor Morrow (30) and Jaron Lengyel (21no) and No. 9 Jack Robinson (23).

Simon Umbers. Picture: Alan Barber

Anglesea's Tyron Norman. Picture: Alan Barber

Thomas described the total as “competitive’’.

“It’s a hard one to chase. It’s in the middle,’’ he said.

“We were looking at 250 on a beautiful day. They’re a very well drilled side, Barwon Heads, with three or four old leaders and a heap of young blokes coming through.

“We do bowl and field very well, it’s exciting to watch. We’re going to make a game of it next week for sure.’’

Anglesea will look to its gun paceman Michael Thornton, who has 22 wickets, at 7.5, this season, to make early strikes.

Meanwhile, Armstrong Creek run machine Clay Mulgrew had another red letter day — but this time with the ball. Mulgrew, who tops the run charts with 671, captured 5-62 off a marathon 25.3 overs with his spinners to restrict Queenscliff to 8-135. Chasing a third straight win, Queenscliff progressed cautiously to 0-51, with skipper Hayden Illingworth (31) and Lochie Philp (22) knuckling down. Mulgrew was on a hat-trick as he cut through the middle order, despite resistance from Kane Leathem (33).

Drysdale recovered from a precarious 5-40 to make 211 against a Jake Hewitt-inspired Jan Juc. Hewitt flattened Drysdale’s top order, nabbing the first five wickets, with a spectacular one-handed diving catch at gully by Mark Zahra a standout highlight. Hewitt finished with 5-75 off 20 overs. Jan Juc’s rebuild was led by Mitchell Small (40), Shane Cutajar (28) and Josh Inglis (23) before No. 9 Ben Spencer upped the tempo with a crisp 58 off 58 balls (with 5 fours and 3 sixes). Jan Juc’s Miles Kerr chipped in with 3-27.

Barrabool bowlers James Jirik (4-38) and Archer Jaques (3-27) combined to dismiss Ocean Grove for 160 in 73.2 overs. Jirik claimed the first three wickets as Ocean Grove slumped to 4-35. Jacob Taylor made a vital 42 in the middle order.