Epping has maintained its position as one of the Diamond Valley Cricket Association Barclay Shield’s best teams defeating Bundoora on Saturday.
Bundoora won the toss and went in to bat first and got away to a nice start being 2-90, unfortunately for the Bulls, wickets began to fall more regularly from there with the side reaching the end of their 40 overs at 9-161.
Opening batsman Prabhnoor Bhalla top scored for Bundoora with 35, while Josh Henkel had the best figures for Epping with 2-22 from four overs.
In the chase, Epping also got away to a flying start with skipper and opening batsman Tom Emmins joint top scoring with 49, Dushantha Ranatung also made 49 but was forced to retire hurt after injuring his hamstring while batting.
Nathan Gardiner was able to hit the winning runs for his side in the 38th over, securing the six wicket win as it finished 4-162.
“It was a polar opposite to the game we played against Diamond Creek, where we chased a similar score down but the runs came pretty free flowing,” Epping coach Daniel Bramich said.
“Bundoora were very tight early, opened the game with four spinners so changed the way they approached it and we knew that our batting line up had the batters real deep to get it done late in the game if needed.
“So it was just about taking the game and not giving them any opportunities early, we find that if we give a couple of wickets away early in the innings it really puts our batting innings on the back foot, we lost one early but Tom [Emmins] and Dushantha [Ranatunga] were able to make a big partnership and bring the game back into our favour.”
Shupinder Taggar was the pick of the bowlers for the Bulls with two wickets.
Next week for the last game before the mid-season break, second-placed Epping is set to play, third-placed Macleod.
“We had a good win against Macleod earlier in the year but playing them at their home ground is a different beast so it’ll be a good challenge,” Bramich said.
The bottom placed Bulls face Heidelberg this Saturday.
In the Money Shield, Lalor Stars lost to Banyule by 13 runs as they were bowled out in the final over.
Bundoora Park’s 117 was never going to be enough Greensborough, while Bundoora United continued its good form, beating Laurimar with four overs remaining.
Harper Sercombe
