Premier Cricket: St Kilda bowlers deliver win against Prahran
DETERMINED and disciplined bowling ensured St Kilda prevailed in Saturday’s season-opening Premier Cricket clash against Prahran.
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ST Kilda fell short of 200, but determined and disciplined bowling ensured the total stood up in Saturday’s season-opening match against Prahran at the Harry Trott Oval.
The Saints achieved a gritty victory, holding the visitors to 6-193 as they replied to 9-196.
Left-armer Josh Bartlett caught and bowled Nathan McNally (5) in the last over to complete a fine match.
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Bartlett finished with 1-36 off his 10 overs after earlier cracking 75 – with 5 fours and 3 sixes — off 82 deliveries.
The Saints had lost Dan Meddings (5), Josh Manning (10), Lachie Holmes (10), Damon Egan (11) and Merlo (9) cheaply to slump to 5-59.
But Bartlett and newcomer Patrick Rowe repaired the innings with a partnership of 117 for the sixth wicket.
Victorian rookie Rowe – who crossed from Melbourne during winter – hit 52 (3 fours) off 86 deliveries.
Sam Grimwade broke the partnership and his 3-45 helped hold the hosts to less than 200.
Saints seamer Henry Hall knocked over Prahran captain Jake Hancock for a blob, but Adam Bull (56 off 89 balls), Nick King (43 off 92), Shaun Miller (46 off 66) and Jacob Serry (23) pushed the True Blues towards their target.
In a gripping end to the match they fell just short, the pressure created by Merlo (3-34 off 10) and Saints captain Michael Beer (1-37) telling.
“We backed ourselves and scrapped it out pretty well, to be honest,’’ Beer said.
“Anything close to 200 was going to be competitive. It was just a matter of getting a breakthrough and keeping the pressure on. Once we got Bull out (chopping on off Merlo) it put a lot of pressure on their other batsmen. He was the one doing the scoring. After that they really struggled. It was always going to be hard for a new batter to start on that wicket.’’
Beer said Bartlett was a rising cricketer, with bat and ball and in the field.
“He’s got all three facets of the game, which is what they look for at the higher level,’’ he said.
“If he keeps doing what he’s doing he’ll get opportunities. I wouldn’t be surprised if a couple of Big Bash teams are keeping an eye on him as well.’’
The Saints gave debuts to Dan Meddings and Todd Murphy, and in doing they extended their father-son club to 12.
Meddings, 24, is the son of club vice-president Paul, played his first match for the Saints at the age of 12 (in the fourths) and has been at the club for pretty much his whole life.
Coach Glenn Lalor said Meddings, a right-hand top-order batsman, had a run of big scores in the seconds last season and would have played in the firsts if not for an untimely suspension.
“That cost him his opportunity,’’ Lalor said.
“He plays footy at Caulfield Grammarians but he didn’t play this year. He wanted to have a crack (at cricket) instead of not having a pre-season and starting in the threes.
Murphy, a 19-year-old spin-bowling all-rounder, joined St Kilda this season.
In their 160 years the Saints have had only a dozen father-son combinations, but they include notable clubs names including Ironmonger, Blackie, Tamblyn, Ironmonger, Craig, Graf and Murch.
Meanwhile, Sam Harper made a rousing century for Melbourne, but the Demons suffered a first-up loss to Geelong.
The Cats totted up 6-276 off their 50 overs, with wicketkeeper Josh McDonald opening the batting and cracking 92 off 94 balls. Spinner Sean Sturrock (3-43 off 10 overs) was the only Melbourne bowler to put any blows on the Geelong batting.
In the reply Harper opened for the Demons and blistered 100 off 101 deliveries. His 114 was his third Premier century, he cracked 6 fours and 3 sixes, and his partnership with Blake Thomson (67 off 112 balls, with 6 fours) realised 159 for the third wicket.
But after Harper’s dismissal the visitors lost 7-27 and wound up at 9-240. Brody Couch (4-32) and Angus Boyd (3-29) were cool for the Cats.
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