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GCA wrap: St Joseph’s keep season alive in nailbiter, North Geelong captain Tom Mathieson produces masterclass

St Joseph’s has held on to claim an important one-wicket win, while a captain had an absolute day out. Check out Wes Cusworth’s full wrap.

Cam Port and Jack Hodgson celebrate after St Joseph's win over Highton. Picture: Wes Cusworth
Cam Port and Jack Hodgson celebrate after St Joseph's win over Highton. Picture: Wes Cusworth

An all-round masterclass helped North Geelong to an important win, St Joseph’s kept its season alive in a nailbiter, and much more.

See Wes Cusworth’s full GCA1 first grade wrap here.

North Geelong 8-265 defeats St Peter’s 178

A spectacular all-round performance from captain Tom Mathieson was key to North Geelong’s 87-run defeat of St Peter’s, reaffirming the Magpies legitimacy as a threat for a sixth consecutive premiership.

Mathieson smashed a whirlwind 33-ball unbeaten 56, before his swing-seam bowling cut a swathe through the Saints line-up with an astonishing 6-27.

“Yeah, it’s nice when those two things come off at once,” the modest Magpies leader said post-game.

“It was good to come in and be able to go from ball one after a really good middle order partnership from Soupy (Alistair McCann 42) and Dale (Kerr 24), after Neddles (Ned Cooper 63) got us off to a good start on a tricky wicket.

“With such good coverage on the outfield and a little bit of grass on the wicket, the ball probably stayed a lot harder than it usually does, so it was still coming on nicely at the 40-over mark.”

Tom Mathieson produced a masterclass for North Geelong against St Peters. Picture: Wes Cusworth
Tom Mathieson produced a masterclass for North Geelong against St Peters. Picture: Wes Cusworth

Seamer James Stokes captured 3-29, while skipper Luke Ford (2-45) used his finger-spinning guile to remove Cooper and Connor Hangan (20).

The Saints response started disastrously, slumping to 2-5 as Dale Kerr (2-29) generated movement, both through the air and off the wicket, opening the door through which Mathieson entered to provide an unprecedented spell of destruction.

“Once Dale got us off to a really good start, as he always does, it was just about squeezing them,” the left-arm quick said.

“For me it was about jagging one back in every now and then; the fingers across is always the one I go to with the white ball.

“The wicket was probably a little bit sticky, so I knew if I could land it on the spot, it would go enough and take out some of the big shots.”

Despite the 87-run loss, the Saints will be buoyed by the return to form of the elegant Billy Ford (51), while Brad McMaster added 34 at the top and Billy Jones 32, late.

“Where we’re sitting right now, every result is really important for us to keep chasing Newtown and Chilwell’s tail,” Mathieson said.

“We knew that St Peter’s have some real match winners, so for Dale to start off so well and create that squeeze was awesome.”

St Joseph’s 9-203 defeats Highton 202

St Joseph’s season remains alive on the back of a nailbiting one-wicket win – with just two balls spare – over fellow finals aspirant Highton.

A superbly paced unbeaten 47 from Jack Hodgson proved pivotal, although it was a penetrating late spell of fast bowling from Tom Smith (5-22) that proved equally decisive.

Electing to bat, expansive stroke-play from Jack Cook (64) and Greg Willows (51) had the Heat cruising at 5-182 before the Oliver Metcalfe run out of Tejas Gupta, and the introduction of Smith, up the hill and into the wind, saw the visitors to the College lose 5-20.

St Joseph's Jack Hodgson hits the winning runs against Highton. Picture: Wes Cusworth
St Joseph's Jack Hodgson hits the winning runs against Highton. Picture: Wes Cusworth

“It’s been a bit of a thing in the one-dayers, me coming up the hill allows the other guys to have the breeze behind them, it makes it harder for the batsmen to hit straight,” Tom Smith amid the post-game celebrations.

“While it was swinging around a bit early, I’m happy to bowl three or four overs at the end to try and close it out; just bowl at the base of the stumps and try and restrict them.”

In response, gloveman Jono Casey relished an opportunity up the order as he combined for a 70-run opening stand with brother Andrew (28), striking 61 from 110 balls.

The introduction of spinners Fionn Neeson (3-35) and Brady Somers (3-14) swung the pendulum in the Heat’s direction, reducing the Joeys to 8-164, before the narrative of the game took another twist.

Playing just his third first XI game of the season for his club of origin, Hodgson took control of the innings, working with the tail to graft a telling 66-ball unconquered 47, comprised of 31 singles and two fours.

“He had a plan and, while it’s not pretty at times, he got the job done,” Smith said of his teammate.

“I’m stoked for him because he was so composed, the way he was talking to the guys coming to the crease; he gave them a license to go and then he was there at the end to nurdle them around for twos and singles.

“We’ve lost some close ones this season, but I couldn’t be happier with this, the boys showed a lot of heart today.”

The Joeys’ win was even more meritorious given the late scratching of seamer Austin Humphrey and all-rounder Ryan Simmonds.

Grovedale 6-291 defeats East Belmont 273

Grovedale showcased a raft of contributors in a tight 18-run defeat of East Belmont, its first since round 14 of season 2022-23. Jordan Moran (52), Corey Paull (33) and Rob Smith (30) laid a platform before Jack Wrigglesworth (68) and Josh Windus (64 not out) partnered for a rollicking better-than-run-a-ball 120-run stand for the sixth wicket. The pair accessed all areas of Winter Reserve, combining for 11 fours and five sixes to push the tally to 6-291.

Jordan Moran and Jack Wrigglesworth celebrate a wicket against East Belmont. Picture: Wes Cusworth
Jordan Moran and Jack Wrigglesworth celebrate a wicket against East Belmont. Picture: Wes Cusworth

Paceman Dylan Moroney was the Lions best with 3-33. East Belmont’s response began disastrously losing James Lidgett (0) at 13; the prolific scorer hampered by a finger injury sustained when in the field.

Shane McNamara (63) and Zak Tribe (48) proceeded to move East’s innings forward, although the spin of Rohan Smith (2-34) proved influential in removing both stroke players.

Locky Inglis (52) and Danny Hegarty (63) paired for a courageous 88-run middle-order stand, however Wrigglesworth (2-55), Luke Guest (52) and Robin Smith (3-26) all chimed in to ensure the home side’s challenge was held at bay.

Newtown & Chilwell 2-137 defeats South Barwon 134

The Two Blues made light work of chasing down South Barwon’s meagre 134 with Dylan Hodge (39), Pat McKenna (39) and Chay Deary (33 no) all wielding the willow in the eight-wicket win at Reynolds Oval.

Earlier, the evergreen Brad Hauenstein (40) had provided some rearguard action for the home side after emerging seamer Nick Burke (3-26) reduced the Swans to 5-55.

Despite the loss, South Barwon found a positive in Harry Hauenstein’s neat 33 at number three, while the Combine’s Noah Guida confirmed his all-round capabilities with 3-13 to sweep South Barwon’s tail. Newtown and Chilwell’s emphatic win came with 26 superfluous overs and ensured the retention of top spot on the ladder.

Originally published as GCA wrap: St Joseph’s keep season alive in nailbiter, North Geelong captain Tom Mathieson produces masterclass

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Original URL: https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/gca-wrap-st-josephs-keep-season-alive-in-nailbiter-north-geelong-captain-tom-mathieson-produces-masterclass/news-story/8416f505c7b24857a67218a61e07a7f8