TOO GOOD: Exies’ Justin Winkler put in a huge effort with the bat to help his side to victory over the Leagues Club Panthers on Saturday. Picture: Anthony Stipo
A CLINICAL performance with the ball helped Exies to its first win of the season, beating the Leagues Club Panthers by 73 runs at West End Oval on Saturday.
Captain Marc Tucker said it was good to get the first win out of the way and praised the consistent performances of his bowlers.
"It's good to have our first win and they (Leagues) really only got their runs from two batsmen and our extras," Tucker said.
"Mark Semmler (2-18) and Warren Bock (2-26) had really good games."
After winning the toss Exies stepped up to the crease first, but despite Tucker hoping the return of Theo Valeri would secure the squad some early runs, the opening batsmen failed to fire.
But the Exies' work on partnerships during the week seemed to pay off when Justin Winkler and Tom Valeri combined to put on more than 100 between them, and take the squad to a respectable 193 total. Leagues captain Matt Vitucci said despite the run chase set by the Exies, his squad was still confident of putting forward a challenge with the bat.
"We were looking pretty good just before drinks," Vitucci said. "We were only 2-64, we were in a better position than the Exies had been at that time, but our middle order just didn't perform."
Top-order batsmen Adam Izzard (36) and Connor Matheson (35) put in a solid effort to chase Exies' total.
But a lack of experience in the middle order let the Leagues down and the team fell well short of the 194 runs they needed to get their first win as a new club.
"I'll definitely be looking to put a more experienced player in the middle of the batting line up next week," Vitucci said. "The boys are getting more confident each week and it will probably take them a couple more games to realise they're the top of the tree in terms of skill."
Vitucci said it was the same with the Leagues' bowling line up a lack of confidence and experience in the middle cost them.
"We were pretty confident in trying to restrict them," he said.
"But the young boys in that middle part dropped their heads a bit and Exies ran away with it."