Bandits ahead after win over Comets

Published date03 February 2022
Publication titleClutha Leader
The Bandits beat the Clutha Comets by 116 runs at the Outlaw Oval in Owaka on Saturday thanks to a magnificent century by stand-in captain Gordon Edwards

Owaka won the toss and elected to bat first. At the end of forty overs, the side was 257 for the loss of six wickets.

Owaka started promisingly with opening batters Stu Kelly and Danny Simmonds blunting the Clutha attack; Kelly was the more aggressive of the two and was dismissed for 13 in the eighth over. Clutha took another wicket in the over, leaving Owaka in a precarious position at 16 for the loss of two.

Edwards came to the crease and immediately set about his work, moving well and hitting gaps in the field. At 59-4, just before drinks, Edwards was joined by Daniel White in his first match for the Bandits this season. The two gelled together instantly and their running between the wickets put huge pressure on the Clutha fielding, as well as finding the boundaries at will.

White was the first to bring up his half century off just the 34 deliveries, but was dismissed shortly after for 51. His knock included six fours and two sixes. Their partnership as worth a very valuable 90 runs.

Edwards changed up a gear towards the end of the innings and was exceedingly difficult to bowl to. He shared an 83-run partnership with Raiden Pennicott (15) which included bringing up a well-deserved century, Edwards’ second for Owaka. At the end of the innings Edwards was unbeaten on 124 off 109 balls which included fourteen fours and three sixes.

Most of the Clutha bowlers took some heat from the blades of Edwards and White.

Connor Smith was the pick of the bunch with three wickets but was fairly expensive. Kelan Smith bowled a tidy opening spell but could not claim any scalps to his name. In reply the Comets were dismissed for 141 in the 25th over of their innings.

A positive opening partnership by Dom Grinton and Mike Edwards set a decent platform for them to build on before Bandits opener Matt Morahan took two wickets in two balls and was very unlucky not to claim an elusive hat-trick.

Morahan and man-of-the-moment Edwards took three top order wickets between them, leaving the middle and lower orders far too much to do.

There was a fightback from Kelan Smith (31 off 13) who gave the Comets some hope through the middle of the innings. Once Smith was dismissed, the tail collapsed, giving Owaka a bonus point win and some breathing room at the top of the table. Smith top scored for the Comets, and Mike Edwards (24) and...

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