WHACK: Matt Findlay starred for Orange City on Saturday, hitting 59 as the Warriors defeated Cavs by 83 runs. Photo: LUKE SCHUYLER 0126lswade2
HE predicted it as the key on Friday, now Matt Findlay’s simple plan of nailing the basics has Orange City sitting as the sole Orange District Cricket Association first grade competition leaders.
The Warriors went back to basics on Saturday, and as a result put together their best performance of the summer so far, knocking off Cavaliers by 68 runs at Wade Park to leap past CYMS and extend their lead over Cavs on the 2012-13 ladder.
City now has 60 competition points, eight ahead of both Cavs and CYMS (52 a piece) while Centrals (30) and Kinross (20) will fight it out on the bottom of the ladder for the remaining four rounds of this summer’s top grade premiership.
“We’ve put ourselves in a strong position now,” Findlay said, standing in as captain for Dave Boundy .
“I don’t want us to get too far ahead of ourselves but obviously finishing first is everybody’s goal.
“As I said on Friday, we did all of the basics right. We took our chances and batted well.”
Batting first, City posted 7-210 from 40 overs with Findlay (59) and James Conn (53) doing the bulk of the damage with the bat.
The pair put on 83 for the second wicket to guide City to 2-127 and set up the winning total.
For Cavs, Stu Middleton was his side’s best with the ball claiming 4-25.
But in reply with the bat, Middleton and Cavs couldn’t get going.
The big-hitting all-rounder lost his opening partner James Ryan (0) with the score on 11 and, from there, wickets fell at regular intervals to stunt Cavaliers’ total and restrict the former competition leaders to 142 from 31 overs.
Middleton top scored with 37 while Stu Naden picked up 3-23 with the ball for City.
Findlay was stoked his side’s batsmen stood up to be counted in a big match, positive signs for the finals series ahead.
“It’s the best we’ve batted all year as a team,” he said.
“It’s the first time we’ve put together a full innings in the sense the top order scored most of the runs and the lower order chipped in towards the end. Conny went ballistic out there for his 50. He batted really well.”