SOUTH Portland will be a very good chance to earn their first win of the season next week after an excellent day one performance against Portland Colts in their Portland and District Cricket Association clash on Saturday at Henty Park.

The Demons’ skipper Mitch Arnold won the toss and elected to send the home side in to bat on a warm afternoon, but it was Colts who got off to the better start via another strong opening stand from Glenn Hollis (25) and Alister Stannard (22).

While Hamish and Thomas Drew were able to claim the wickets of both openers with 55 runs on the board, this set the stage for Colts captain Luke Evans to push his side forward, scoring at a near run-a-ball pace for his 36 runs.

He got support further down the order from Matthew Payne (30), however wickets fell consistently over the course of the back end of their innings, with Eamon Drew (3-11 off 4.1 overs) cleaning up Colts’ tail to have them all out for 165 off 64.1 overs.

Hamish Drew was also excellent with the ball, taking 2-16 off his nine overs, while Arnold had a very economical afternoon, taking 1-17 from his 14 overs including seven maidens.

However, his day was far from over, as the decision to have him move up the order to open the batting paid dividends immediately.

He plundered Colts’ bowling attack for 51 runs off just 32 deliveries, in an innings which included seven fours and two sixes.

The only downside was that he got himself caught in the third-last over of the day, regardless he had helped set his side up in a very strong position for day two of the match next weekend, with South currently sitting at 1-62 with 80 overs and nine wickets in hand to make the necessary 104 runs for victory.

Not all is lost for Colts, with their bowling attack certainly capable of running through any opposition’s batting line-up, but it will take a phenomenal effort to salvage this one.

Tigers, Go-Ports evenly poised

You’d be hard-pressed to pick a winner from day one of the matchup between Portland Tigers and Gorae-Portland played at Flinders Park on Saturday, with both teams having their moments in what was an enthralling contest.

The Tigers got themselves off to a good start despite losing the toss, with Jake Davies having James Cannon caught behind in the eighth over of the day, with Go-Ports having made 10 runs to that stage.

Wickets continued to fall with regularity over the ensuing 20 overs, with Paul Procter and Charlie Harvey claiming two scalps each to have Go-Ports in dire straits at 5-43.

However, it was at this juncture that Cam Harker joined Stephen O’Brien at the crease, with the pair helping to turn the momentum in Go-Ports’ favour with a valuable partnership of 58 runs to get their side into three figures.

And while Joel Hollis was able to trap Harker LBW for 30, O’Brien continued to press on, making a potentially match-saving knock of 78.

It took an incredible diving outfield catch from Procter off the bowling of his captain Will Oakley to dismiss O’Brien, with the Tigers able to knock off the remaining couple of wickets for just a handful more runs, with Go-Ports eventually all-out for 168 off 67.2 overs.

It was a strong team bowling effort from the Tigers, with their best bowler a difficult one to pick, as Procter (2-16), Harvey (2-20), Will Oakley (2-29) and Nik Oakley (2-3) all finished with multiple wickets, while Hollis produced figures of 1-18 from 13 overs including six maidens.

Go-Ports ended the day on a bittersweet note, as while O’Brien finished up a remarkable individual performance by having Jock Keiller caught in the slips for a duck, they could have had the Tigers two down if not for a spilled chance on the very last ball of the day.

As it stands, the Tigers sit on 1-12, with a further 157 runs needed this Saturday for victory, with both sides having plenty of work ahead of them to achieve victory.

B grade results

Portland Colts were able to get another big win in B grade on Saturday, as they defeated South Portland by 48 runs at Cavalier Park.

Adam Barbary was the pick of an all-around solid batting effort from the victors, as he made 45 off 55 deliveries to see the side to such a strong total.

A score of 47 from Andrew Payne wasn’t enough to get the Demons over the line, as they ran out of wickets in the 36th over.

Meanwhile, Tyrendarra earned a strong win over Drumborg-Heywood away from home at Heywood Recreation Reserve, claiming a very solid 79-run win.

Chris Wilson’s big hitting proved valuable in the Darras’ lower order, as he carted Drumborg-Heywood for 31 off 15 deliveries to help his side to their total.

But the hero of the afternoon was Macauly Baker, who claimed 5-15 from 6.2 overs to have the home side all out for 55 in a devastating performance.

Portland Tigers and Gorae-Portland had also been scheduled to face off at Henty Park, however Go-Ports were unable to field a side and as a result the Tigers claimed the points via forfeit.