VSDCA: Box Hill recovers from 6-72 to take control against Endeavour Hills

Box Hill has its second victory of the VSDCA season in its sights and could push for maximum points next weekend after an opening day fightback against a spirited Endeavour Hills.

Muhammed Saeed rolls the arm over. Picture: Mark Dadswell/AAP

Box Hill has its second victory of the VSDCA season in its sights and could push for maximum points next weekend after an opening day fightback against a spirited Endeavour Hills on Saturday.

Veteran Richard Saniga claimed the first six wickets as the Mustangs collapsed to 6-72 at Sydney Pargeter Recreation Reserve, mustering 185 all out before taking five Eagles scalps by stumps.

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How about Richard Saniga yesterday? At the age of 51 he opened the bowling for @SubbiesCricket club Endeavour Hills against Box Hill, bowled 26 overs and took 7-44. He’s a marvel.

— Paul Amy (@PaulAmy375) December 8, 2018

Saniga took a career-best 7-44 off 26 overs but a 104-run seventh-wicket partnership between captain Michael Vozzo and Hayden Rayner ensured the visitors reached a competitive total.

Fellow Endeavour Hills veteran Vaughan Baxter grabbed the other three scalps to finish with 3-31 off 12.3 overs.

Rayner recorded his first First XI half-century to post 66, while Vozzo contributed 46 to the total.

“I probably wasn’t batting so well … Hayden was the one that was a lot more aggressive so probably the key was we were always ticking the scoreboard over and our run-rate was always OK,” Vozzo said.

“That kept us in the game in many respects so we were pretty happy with that.

“We still left about 25, 30 overs out there so in some regards we were still a little disappointed.

“We would have been hoping for 240-plus but we didn’t bat well enough, but having them five down obviously helps.”

Brendan King sends one down. Picture: Mark Dadswell/AAP

Second-gamer Pritesh Goyal picked up two wickets, while Blake Nikolic, Muhammad Saeed and Geet Shahani each collected one as Endeavour Hills collapsed to 5-31 in just 23 overs at the close of play.

Vozzo said he had not considered the prospect of an outright win.

“They’ve still got a couple of excellent batsmen to go so our main intention is just to see if we can get the five wickets,” he said.

“We want to get the five wickets to get the points. I haven’t even and won’t even contemplate anything more than that.”