Social media identity ‘Srey’ from Marmalade takes five-wicket haul in Corio cameo

A country cricket club answered the call of sports content creators ‘Marmalade’, and a social media identity produced a spell for the ages.

Srey from Marmalade celebrates his five-wicket haul. Picture: Instagram

They weren’t delivered with the same beauty as Shane Warne, but social media identity ‘Srey’ from Marmalade spun a web in a cameo appearance for Corio on Saturday.

Those that weren’t full tosses, that is.

Content creators ‘Marmalade’ put a call-out to their 105,000 Instagram followers on Wednesday to announce that Srey – who “bats nine, bowls pies” – was up for a game of cricket.

Corio answered the call and the GCA3 third grade side was fortunate enough to acquire the services of the Division 12 Ressies footballer with a penchant for chocolate milk.

It was a difficult day in the field for the young Devils side – including for Srey who dropped a sitter at point – but his spell of loopy leggies was one for the ages.

In front a crowd of fans down at Corio Community Reserve, the wrist spinner managed to snare 5-64 from his seven overs, 75 per cent of which were full tosses according to captain Troy Van Halen.

“(His wickets were) caught in cow corner twice I think and then two bowled and one caught in the slips. And the bowleds were full tosses,” Van Halen said.

“He just had a bit of fun, never been too serious about it. But he actually bowled not too bad when he made them bounce.

“I just had to keep bowling him, he kept on getting wickets. I just said keep going mate, he actually pulled himself off – he goes, ‘Nup, I’m done’.”

But Srey’s stint was rocked by controversy as he was apparently robbed of a sixth scalp and a hat-trick.

Van Halen’s son Cody was behind the stumps and took off the bails, but it was called not out.

“First one was bowled, second one was caught at square by junior,” Van Halen said.

“The third ball Cody nearly stumped him. I thought it was out, everyone else thought it was out but yeah.”

With a difficult chase ahead, Srey was entrusted with opening the batting with the skipper, but it was a brief stay at the crease.

Ironically it was a full toss that was his undoing, caught and bowled for a second-ball duck.

Srey with the Corio thirds side. Picture: Instagram

“He said, ‘I’ll open with ya as long as you take the first pill’,” Van Halen recalled.

“So he didn’t get to face the first over. I faced the first over and then the first ball of the second over he missed, and the second ball he got a full bunga and he got caught.

“It was straight up in the air, didn’t go very far,” he chuckled.

Despite Corio’s 162 run loss, it was a successful day for the Devils and their new spin sensation Srey.

His partner in crime ‘Checkers’ was among those in the crowd and filled in himself as scorer for the Devils during their batting innings.

'Checkers' from Marmalade got to work as Corio's scorer. Picture: Instagram

“‘Srey’ was fantastic, getting around everyone. Getting pictures with the kids, they were a great bunch of blokes,” Van Halen said.

“There was a fair crowd from just bystanders as well, not involved in Corio just came and watched him pretty much.

“They draw a crowd, they got us on the board, get us out there. We struggle in the thirds a little bit but having them there was unreal.”

The Marmalade boys then had plenty of refreshments back at the club.

The Devils would certainly welcome Srey back – but he might be getting a promotion after his leg-spinning feats.

“He can go to the twos yeah, turf, give it a go. I’d have them all back, what they did for the juniors playing with me and for the club, they were really good,” Van Halen said.

GCA2: Panthers look to pounce on top-four spot

Bell Post Hill has put itself in a promising position to shake-up the top-four after restricting Geelong City to 181 on a good batting deck.

The Panthers surprised by electing to bowl first on a scorching Saturday and Geelong City No.3 Jared Muraca steered the the innings with 90 from 200 deliveries.

But Dylan Walsh (4-35) and captain Ben Muir (3-41) combined to swing the momentum in the Panthers’ favour.

Bell Post Hill will resume at 0-20 next Saturday, needing to keep winning to stay in touch with Torquay (third) and Bell Park (fourth), who the Panthers both face in the final two rounds of the season.

Leopold did the Panthers a favour by rolling Torquay for just 86 after an incredible 7-18 from Robbie O’Donnell, with the Lions just 23 runs away from victory.

Bell Park appears set to leapfrog Torquay into third with the Dragons in a commanding position at 0-80 in pursuit of 135.

Bell Post Hill celebrating getting the wicket of Geelong City batsman Hamish McDine off the bowling of Dylan Walsh Picture: Mark Wilson

Bell Post Hill had a frank discussion after its disappointing loss to Geelong West last week — bringing up the Rams’ first win of the season — and Muir said

“The last couple of games we have lost we have been nowhere near where we want to be cricket wise,” Muir said.

We had a lot of discussions during the week about what we need to change and pre-game we spoke about what we need to do as a team and we set a lot of plans in place as a group.

“Walking off the ground I was very happy with the group, we stuck with it and we got where we want to be at the end of the day.”

Muir has full confidence in his charges but the focus will be putting a score on the board next week — something that has been an issue for the Panthers this season — before the finals-shaping clashes that follow.

“We knew coming into the back-end of the year that we had Bell Park twice and Torquay again in a two-dayer, so we knew we had to find our best form,” Muir said.

“(Saturday) was a start of us trying to find our own form, get back to the way we want to play and I think everyone walking off that ground was happy with our performance but we know the job is next week, we have to do the hard work is during the

“Bell Park and Torquay are massive games but we are just one week at a time now.”

Originally published as Social media identity ‘Srey’ from Marmalade takes five-wicket haul in Corio cameo