A beautiful spell from Western Zone quick Jackson Coote and a stoic effort with the bat from Tim Low and Craig Rogan catapulted Orange District Cricket Association leaders Orange City into the box seat of its two-day clash with Kinross at Wade Park on Saturday afternoon.
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Coote continued his great recent form to take 3-13 from his 11 overs, which included seven maidens, as the greens rolled the students for 172. With that spell included, he’s now taken 11-48 from 22 overs in his last three games, 10 of those being maidens as well.
Nathan Rosser (0) fell from the third ball of Orange City’s innings, but Low (38 not out) and Rogan (21 not out) survived the last 20 overs of the day and knocked off 66 of their target to boot.
With 80 overs, at least, remaining in next weekend’s second day the Warriors need just 107 to secure their seventh straight victory, the last time the title favourites lost was back in round four in November of last year.
“Being able to knock those 66 off last night and still have nine wickets in hand was very pleasing, we’ll go out there now with a ball that’s 20 overs old on what should be a good batting wicket and really look to take advantage,” Rogan, the Warriors’ skipper, said.
“It was a really good bowling effort, the wickets were shared around but Jackson was definitely the star, I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone beat the bat that often.
“Kinross probably did make 30 or 40 more than we thought they would, or hoped they would though.”
After being resigned to 6-62 thanks to Coote firing Kinross added another 110 for their last four wickets to not just frustrate the Warriors but also eat up plenty of overs and ultimately post a competitive total.
“They’re mentality was to survive and bat for a long period of time and they did that, they dug in toward the end there, and good on them,” Rogan said.
Jackson (Coote) was definitely the star, I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone beat the bat that often.
- Orange City skipper Craig Rogan
One of those last four wickets was Blake Weymouth’s first in the top grade too, which came via Lachie Coyte’s first stumping.
“It was Lachie’s first stumping ever, not just in first grade,” Rogan said.
“It was a pretty special moment for them and for the rest of us, and I think they were as pleased for each other as they were for themselves.”
Rogan’s decision to bowl first after winning the toss proved to be a good one, Ed Morrish (2-54) trapped Steve Geyer (0) in front virtually straight away and Brett Causer (1-31) picked up Tom Geyer (4) not long after.
Then Coote went to work.
He dismissed Max Powell (30), Angus Cumming (0) and Fletcher Rose (3) in the space of a few overs to leave Kinross reeling at 5-62.
Taylor Beatty (3-24) made that 6-62 when he snicked Charlie Greer (24) off next over.
Stu Crisp (49), Will Luelf (28) helped mount a fightback, before Rosser was bowled and Low and Rogan edged their way to stumps.