Henry Arnold, Paul Sammut inspire Aberfeldie’s big win over Westmeadows

Henry Arnold one of the bowling performances of the VTCA season to keep Aberfeldie’s finals hopes alive with a big win over Westmeadows.

Henry Arnold took seven wickets for Aberfeldie.

Henry Arnold take a bow.

The Englishman ran rampant in Aberfeldie’s big win over Westmeadows, snaring an incredible 7-41.

Arnold’s destructive spell of bowling on day one of the two-day match set Abers up and half-centuries to Paul Sammut (69) and Danushka Wijemanna (54) sealed an eight-wicket win at Willowbrook Reserve.

The win rekindles the club’s VTCA Senior Division finals hopes.

Arnold was on a hat-trick as he removed Michael and Donovan Pell before castleling Stephen Mihelakos-James to have the hosts reeling at 3-11.

Kieren Gray in action for Aberfeldie. Picture: Hamish Blair

Ryan Nankervis followed soon after as Westmeadows fell to 5-20.

Arnold returned for a second spell to dismiss Suresh De Silva, Pathum De Mel and Daman Preet Singh – the Warriors all out 113.

Aberfeldie captain Kieren Gray was rapt to see the boy from Birmingham succeed.

“He obviously bowled really well, he bowls good pace and outswing, he put it in good areas, a lot of them nicked it and we held onto a few,” Gray said.

“Donovan chopped on, so that was a bit of luck for us, it was probably one of Henry’s worst balls of the day that gets one of the top batters in the competition.

“Henry’s the type of bowlers that just keeps charging in, whenever you ask him to bowl he’s always up for the challenge and gives his all, so he’s a great guy to captain.”

Aberfeldie was 2-108 at stumps on day one, just five runs behind.

Sammut was not out during the week and went on with it on Saturday.

The opener continued his form before Christmas when he scored a breakthrough First XI century, 114 against Sydenham-Hillside.

Gray said the team performance against Sydenham had shown what it was capable of and Sammut was a key contributor.

“We’ve been gradually improving each game,” he said.

“Bowling against Sydenham, the first half wasn’t great but we were able to turn it around – even though they still got 330, at one stage they were on track for 400.

“To put ourselves in a position to win that game, we fell over at the end with the bat but we got 270-odd.

“Paul is a great story, he’s been around a while and made a hell of a lot of runs in the Twos.

“He got his opportunity this year and made 114 against Sydenham and did a really good job this week, so it’s great to see guys like that get some reward for effort.”

Abers’ finals hopes have also been boosted by the return of former captain and coach Sohan Boralessa.

The spinner was at Sunbury last season but has returned to Clifton Park and took 0-16 in six overs on his return to the field on day one.

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“Sohan and I had been chatting away, we had one before Christmas and he was happy to play a couple of games,” Gray said.

“He thought it was going to be in the lower grades to start with but our other spinner had to fly back to Sri Lanka so Sohan was able to come in and do a job for us.”

Aberfeldie takes on Craigieburn at DS Aitken Reserve on Saturday in a one-day match.

With four games remaining in the home-and-away season, the club sits eight in a four-way tie on 21 points, 12 points behind Airport West St Christophers in fourth – itself in a four-way tie for top-spot.