Here we come.
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Orange City is hitting form at the right time of the summer, turning what was a lifeless Orange District Cricket Association first grade campaign into a full blown run at the premiership in the space of three rounds.
Win less and seemingly anchored to the bottom of the ladder at Christmas, the Warriors on Saturday completed a third-straight victory, this time over Kinross and this time an outright triumph.
Maximum points shoots Craig Rogan’s side into second on the ladder, behind defending premiers CYMS in the race for the 2016-17 crown.
And after Orange City racked up a 10-wicket outright triumph over Kinross at KWS Main Oval, it’d take a brave man to predict the Warriors aren’t capable of knocking off the green and golds as well.
“It’s pretty pleasing to be pulling off results like that at this time of the season,” Rogan said.
“It sends a bit of a statement to the other clubs in the competition that we’re here to push for a grand final spot and we’re here to push for the premiership.”
In possibly the biggest statement, the Warriors bowlers led the way.
With Kinross resuming at 4-70 in pursuit of City’s first innings total of 9-197, the students were bowled out for 120 and then again for 93 after being made to follow on.
It sends a bit of a statement to the other clubs in the competition that we’re here to push for a grand final spot and we’re here to push for the premiership.
- City skipper Craig Rogan
That’s 16 wickets for 143 runs in the space of 61.5 overs.
Basicallty, the Orange City bowling attack is firing on all cylinders as a whole, with Tom Waters’ match figures of 4-18 of 16 overs – including eight maidens – indicative of the quality on show by the Warriors’ seam attack.
“My instructions are pretty clear: keep it full and straight,” Rogan said, a plan that’s been in place all year, just one that failed to reap too many rewards late in 2016.
“I still can’t work out what wasn’t working before Christmas. I was pulling my hair out a bit there.
“But it’s working at the moment, and the boys really put it all together out there on Saturday.
“We’ve won three in a row now and hopefully next round we can keep it up and make it four.”
Ed Morrish was the other stand-out contributor with the ball for City, taking match figures of 4-34 to aid Waters and company in helping their side chalk up its biggest win of the summer.
For the students, in the second innings, veteran Stu Crisp hit 32 to anchor Kinross’ resistance, while young Tom Geyer hit 27 late in the innings as well.
But there was little help surrounding those two bats, with the students’ all out total of 93 leaving City’s openers a chase of just 16 to win outright.
Ben Findlay (seven not out) and Dave Boundy (eight not out) got the job done in 4.3 overs to secure maximum points and rocket up the ladder.