Led by Matt Corben and Josh Doherty, Orange kicked off their bid to win the Mitchell Cricket Council President’s Cup for the first time since 2009-10 with a bang, thumping the Blue Mountains at Wade Park.
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The Cavaliers duo both knocked up half-tons as their Bluebaggers piled on 5-257 before strangling the Cattle Dogs out of the game, eventually skittling them for just 146 to claim a whopping, 111-run victory.
“It’s the perfect way for us to start really, I’m really, really pleased with it,” Orange skipper Daryl Kennewell said, the victory marking the first time since 2015-16 the Bluebaggers have started the summer with a win.
“I was always very confident in the guys we’d picked, but even more so after we knocked up almost 260. We were [2-165] at the second drinks break and I said to the guys then ‘250, 260 isn’t out of reach, it probably needs to be our minimum now’.
“We probably missed a strike bowler or two to really finish the game off at the end there because it did drag out once we rolled through the Blue Mountains a bit, but we probably faded a bit too.
“Tough to complain about anything though, it’s a good way to start the season.”
As they have so many times for their maroons Corben (92) and Doherty (59) provided perfect foil for each other in a 91-run, second-wicket partnership.
They came together at 1-29 after Ryan Kurtz (12) was sent packing, with Corben playing a typically composed, level-headed dig and the latter going hammer-and-tongs and rocketing his way past 50.
Their partnership set up Orange’s innings beautifully and after Doherty departed with the tally at 120 Shaun Grenfell (32) and Bailey Ferguson (29 not out) linked with Corben to keep the scoreboard ticking along.
Cavaliers’ skipper was actually the last Orange wicket to fall, and his dig was the ultimate example of taking your chance when it comes.
He was dropped on two by Tony Hale, that was one of several catches the Cattle Dogs dropped early in the game too.
“He batted really well, Corbs, it was a good dig and he got [59 not out] on Saturday too so he’s a bit of form,” Kennewell said.
“Josh just did what Josh does, went out and smashed it around and did a good job. Even Kurtzy, who only got 12, played a real role, so did Shauny Grenfell.
“Scoreboard pressure makes a big difference in these games.”
The Cattle Dogs’ chase never really got started, with Jackson Coote (3-32) and Kennewell (2-17) picking up John Ford (18) and Hale (5) early to leave the visitors struggling at 2-29.
Alex Crowther (21) and Hamish Lelliott (36) put up some resistance in a 55-run, third-wicket stand, but after they were dismissed wickets fell consistently, the last seven falling for 62 runs.
Orange’s next President’s Cup game isn’t until November 11 when they travel to face Lithgow, and the Bluebaggers’ Western Zone Premier League campaign kicks off the week after that against Dubbo, at Dubbo.
I was always very confident in the guys we’d picked, but even more so after we knocked up almost 260.
- Orange skipper Daryl Kennewell
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Matt Findlay
Formerly a sports specialist, I'm based at Orange and shift between wide-spread range of subjects here and, often, across the entire Central West region of NSW as well. I have almost a decade of experience in the media and marketing industries both here in Australia and internationally, along with journalism I have experience in content strategy, brand development, and digital and social media. Along the way, I've been fortunate to win a handful of media awards and be nominated for several others too.
Formerly a sports specialist, I'm based at Orange and shift between wide-spread range of subjects here and, often, across the entire Central West region of NSW as well. I have almost a decade of experience in the media and marketing industries both here in Australia and internationally, along with journalism I have experience in content strategy, brand development, and digital and social media. Along the way, I've been fortunate to win a handful of media awards and be nominated for several others too.
