VSDCA: Akshay Ballal and Kurt Benjamin blast Mt Waverley to 9-322 against Box Hill
Mt Waverley has launched its season with a run-scoring spree, ignited by a former Indian first-class batter and one of the VSDCA’s most dangerous all-rounders.
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What a way to start at your new club.
Former Indian first-class batter Akshay Ballal joined Mt Waverley on the eve of the season after being cleared from Endeavour Hills.
And on Saturday, the 33-year-old hit the ground running, peeling off 112 to set up Mt Waverley’s 9-322 against Box Hill at Box Hill City Oval.
Ballal played a determined and patient knock; he went in at 2-52 and was last man out at 6-306, in between hitting 11 boundaries in a 164-ball stay.
Ballal combined with No. 7 Kurt Benjamin for a game-changing 144-run sixth wicket partnership, taking the score from 5-139 to 6-283, when Benjamin was out for 81 off 77 balls, with 11 fours and 2 sixes.
Mt Waverley president David Grossman said Ballal batted smartly on the big Box Hll oval.
“Box Hill have two or three good spin bowlers and he looked untroubled against them,” he said.
“Box Hill is a big ground with a slightly slow outfield and he was able to manipulate the ball into the outfield through the middle of his innings and help keep the run rate going.
“And after the 50th over he and Kurt were able to accelerate. Both scored multiple boundaries and they took the bowlers on down the ground.”
Benjamin, who enhanced his reputation with an excellent finals series last season, again displayed his talents in the middle order.
“He hits the ball really hard and when he gets going he can be pretty damaging,” Grossman said of Benjamin.
Mt Waverley’s openers Zac Gucciardo (33) and Nathan Pruscino (18) set the platform witha 52-run stand before No.3 Angus Roach looked good, hitting four boundaries, before holing out for 25.
Parth Mehta (3-43) and Cian Dickinson (2-67) did best with the ball for Box Hill.
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