Greenvale Kangaroos have experienced another mixed weekend in Victorian Premier Cricket.
For the fourth time this season the Kangaroos have split the results when they’ve had matches on both Saturday and Sunday.
The weekend was the second straight of T20 matches, with the Kangaroos playing Melbourne University and then Fitzroy Doncaster.
On Saturday, it was the bowlers who did the damage for the Kangaroos as they secured rare back-to-back wins.
The Kangaroos scrambled to 9-100 from their overs, with Sunam Gautam (33), Kyle Adams (24no) and Trent Waring (11no) the only batsmen to reach double figures.
While it probably didn’t look enough on paper, the Kangaroos didn’t let Melbourne University get its innings going.
In trouble at 3-10, University was bowled out for 82 on the second last ball of the innings.
The Kangaroos bowlers shared the wickets with Aaron Smillie, Adams and Waring taking three wickets each.
On Sunday, against Fitzroy Doncaster, the Kangaroos couldn’t repeat the outcome.
At 3-139, the Lions looked headed for a big score, but the Kangaroos got four late wickets to reduce the Lions’ score to 7-158.
Aaron Smillie backed up his performance from the day before with another three wickets.
The Kangaroos started positively, but three quick wickets slowed them down.
From there, they were behind the pace and well below the run rate required.
They finished their 20 overs at 8-106, skipper Jarrod Leggett top scoring with 23.
Kangaroos coach Stan Nell said that despite splitting the results, the weekend was pleasing.
“It was a very good performance on Saturday with the bat and ball,” he said.
“We lost today, but we came across one of the best international T20 players, in Alex Hale, and Trent Lawford, who is the best T20 player in premier cricket.
“Both lost their wickets, so the bowlers were pretty chuffed. At 8-106, we weren’t disgraced. It was an OK performance.”
Nell said the season’s results, including four wins, showed the hard work was paying off.
“Someone from the playing group commented during the week that they looked at the ladder and nearly had a nose bleed as they had never seen the club so high,” he said.
“The players were getting sick of me saying the same thing each week. The results are showing they’ve brought into everything.”
