CAVS CLAIM ANOTHER: Stu Middleton puts it in between the wickets during Cavaliers' big seven-wicket win over Orange City on Saturday, the side's second convincing win in as many starts. Photo: STEVE GOSCH 1027sgcrick1
A QUICK-FIRE 47 not out as well as three wickets from all-rounder Chris Martin has helped guide Cavaliers to an easy seven-wicket win over Orange City at Riawena Oval on Saturday.
Martin came to the crease with Cavaliers at 2-33 chasing Orange City’s meagre total of all out for 87.
He then went about belting 47 of the remaining 56 runs his side needed for victory - all in a little over six overs - to hand Cavaliers its second convincing win of the 2012-13 Orange District Cricket Association first grade season.
And for good measure, Martin broke his bat too.
“He went in when I got out and I think we were about 20 or 30 at that stage,” Cavaliers opener Stu Middleton said.
“I was in the sheds and everyone was clapping and carrying on a bit. He hit a few fours and a six and managed to break his bat in the process.
“Chris is batting well at the moment, he hit a 50 against CYMS in our first game as well, but it’s probably time guys like myself, Rich (skipper Richie Venner) and Chris step up a bit with a young side this season.”
And step up they did.
Orange City, the only other side in the ODCA competition who hadn’t lost a game, won the toss and elected to bat.
That was as good as it got for City, though.
They lost Mitchell bat Matt Findlay (0), Englishman Stuart Naden (five) and then Orange batsman James Conn (three) to be left reeling at 3-18 as Middleton (3-9) struck.
The only batsman to really get going was Shaun Grenfell (24), but he was the sixth wicket to go as youngster James Ryan (2-11) chimed in with his left-armers.
Martin, too, proved effective with the ball, taking 3-11 to help Cavs dismiss a typically strong City batting line-up for just 87 in the 33rd over.
Cavs then got the runs in the 13th over.
“We did do it pretty well,” Middleton said, adding his side has worked extremely hard to get itself back to the Cavaliers of old - an outfit that won eight straight BOIDC and ODCA titles - after losing the last two ODCA grand finals.
“Fielding is something that we’ve worked on pretty hard in the off season and at training and I think it cam to fruition (on Saturday).
“At the same time, their control with the bat probably wasn’t what it can be, but our lines and lengths with the ball kept it pretty tight.
“I thought we bowled pretty well.”
Cavaliers take on Kinross at Kinross in the competition’s first two-day game starting next week.
Middleton said his side’s goal, as it is every week, was simply to compete.
“We just want to be consistent every week,” he said.
“Wins like the one we just had aren’t going to come around every weekend. If we can continue to do the little things right then it’ll come. It’s cliched but we’re just taking it one game at a time at the moment.”