JACKSON Coote showed exactly why he is considered the best left-armer in Orange cricket on Saturday, producing a stunning performance to lead an under-strength Orange City to victory over Kinross.
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After relinquishing the new ball to Jono Warren, Coote destroyed the Kinross top order, taking five of the first six wickets to fall in an incredible spell of 5-10 from eight overs.
After Orange City skipper Matt Findlay won the toss and sent Kinross in on a soft Wade Park wicket, Ed Morrish (1-16) struck in the fourth over when Toby Polkinghorne feathered one through to Lincoln Duncan, who took the first of his four catches for the day.
Charlie Litchfield (24) and Cam Williams (4) worked the score to 27 before Coote entered the attack.
He struck in his third over, trapping Williams in front. From there, the 22-year-old took a wicket in each of his fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh overs to snare his first bagful for Orange City.
Sam Nicholls (2), Billy O’Connor (1), Charlie Mortimer (4) and Litchfield all fell to Coote, with Warren (1-21) and Braden Riles (2-5) chipping in, bowling the students out for 79.
In reply Orange City stumbled, similarly to Kinross, unable to handle the two-paced nature of the pitch.
Lincoln Duncan (6) fell early, before Jason Beasley (20), Shaun Grenfell (4) and Shaun Churchill (0) all fell amid beautiful spells of swing bowling from Sam Nicholls (1-26), Hugh Britton (2-26) and Litchfield (2-19).
Ben Findlay and Coote came together with City sitting precariously at 5-39, and guided the greens home with five wickets to spare, scoring 19 not out and 30 not out respectively.
“They really saved us,” Matt Findlay said.
“They’re both good batsmen, and they proved that on Saturday. It was good for them to get some time in the middle leading into semi-finals.”
Coote is in career-best form, Findlay said, and doesn’t show any signs of slowing down, before adding how impressive the students were despite defeat.
“He’s bowling better than he did when he got picked for Western Zone and NSW Country colts,” Findlay said.
“Kinross were very good today, if they had 40 more runs we would have been in some serious strife. They bowled very well on that deck.”