Despite a two-faced opening day effort, Kealba-Green Gully is well poised against Strathmore Heights in the North West Metropolitan Cricket Association Luscombe Shield clash of the undefeated.
The Cougars had to grind away in the heat in the field at Boeing Reserve on Saturday, but stuck to the task with aplomb and took the opportunities presented to have the Heights all out for a below-par 109 in 46 overs.
But the reigning premier Cougars abandoned their hard work ethic late in the day and replaced it with a cavalier approach to batting and player-coach Evan Long wasn’t pleased with his side’s 5-80 by stumps chasing three wins to start the season.
“It was a bit disappointing. We’d have liked to have had a few more wickets in the bank,” he said. “We gave them chances, we holed out to guys on the boundary when they could’ve easily been negotiated a little bit better.”
In contrast, the Cougars’ efforts in the field were exactly what Long was asking for.
After the Heights had reached 50 for the loss of just one wicket, Matt Nadzielski (5-30) and Jarrod Catania (4-30), routed the remaining nine batsmen for 60.
“They got a good partnership at the start, but once we broke that we took regular wickets, which was pleasing,” Long said.
“They didn’t get wickets straight away, but they came back stronger later on when it was a bit tougher to bowl.”
Andrew Lambropolous was in fine touch with the bat for the Cougars with 32 but threw away his wicket by holing out in the deep.
Long (19 not out) survived to stumps with Balraj Randhawa.
The Cougars hold an unblemished record to start the season and are still on top in this game but Long is adamant his side is a long way off its best cricket.
The double premiers are facing hungry sides every week and need to lift a notch or two to make it a three-peat this summer.
“Winning the last two premierships, every team is trying to beat us, everyone sees us as the yardstick,” Long said. “They rise up and say ‘we can get a scalp here’.
“Regardless of the opposition, you’ve got to be at your best and at the moment there are little things we can improve on.”
Meanwhile, Sydenham-Hillside made a shaky start to the run chase against Buckley Park.
The Storm are 3-9 after bowling out the Beavers for 195.
