Leagues have picked up a much-needed win over Hanwood at Hanwood Oval on Saturday which not only boosts their chances of a top-four finish on the table it also sees them jump into second on the one-day ladder.
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On a warm day, Leagues elected to bat before the heat got to their players and didn’t make the start they would have wanted losing the wicket of Logan Matheson (0) in the first over of the day.
Andrew Madden came out to join Liam Greenaway as the side looked to rebuild and did so with a 33-run stand before Madden (9) fell to the bowling of Luke Shannon (1/22).
The Panthers found the partnership they needed when Jimmy Binks joined Greenaway and the pair worked hard to get their side towards a competitive total in the shortened game.
With the side on 104 after 23.5 over Binks (45) was dismissed by Todd Argus (1/22) before Greenaway (39) followed two balls later as he was stumped off the bowling of Jack Rowston (1/18).
Leagues went in search of quick runs as Reece Matheson (8), Ben Jones (3) and Ryan Greenaway (4) fell before Paul Plummer (6*) and Satvir Chahal (3*) as the Panthers finished their 30 overs on 7/129.
Charlie Cunial finished at the pick of the bowlers for Hanwood, picking up two wickets for 26 runs off his six overs.
Hanwood were able to give themselves a fighting chance in their reply as Michael Crosato, and Rowston got their side off to a flying start.
Unfortunately for Hanwood, when Rowston (19) fell to the bowling of Binks (1/16), Crosato followed closely behind after being caught off the bowling of Liam Greenaway to have the home side on 2/43 off 11.1 overs.
Cunial and Shannon tried to keep the good work ticking along, but it would be quick wickets which again hurt Hanwood.
They lost Cunial to the bowling of Greenaway before the very next ball Shannon was run out by Paul Plummer to reduce their side to 4/60 requiring 69 runs off 78 balls.
However destructive bowling from the reliable Satvir Chahal saw Hanwood start losing wickets quickly.
While Greenaway (3/19) started the fall taking the wicket of Neil Geltch (12), Chahal ripped through the lower order dismissing Isaac Campbell (8), Jamie Whitworth (0), Argus (5) and Wynne (0) as Hanwood lost their last 6 wickets for just 11 runs to be bowled out for 87 in 27 overs.
The 42-run win for Leagues is enough to see them jump into second place on the one-day ladder meaning their game against Coro next weekend will be the decider to who faces Exies in the one-day decider.
Liam Warren
As someone with an underlying passion about sport it is a privilege to report on the sporting landscape around the MIA
As someone with an underlying passion about sport it is a privilege to report on the sporting landscape around the MIA
