After the clash between Crookwell and the Coolavin was cancelled on Saturday, all eyes were on the Prell Oval encounter between MBK United and Marulan as the 2021/22 Goulburn District Cricket Association First Grade competition got underway.
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And, after a 108-run victory, Marulan captain Dan Cooper was left pleased with what he saw from his team.
"We didn't know what to expect, we've got a lot of new guys, we've got some good experienced guys in the side but we haven't seen what they can do," Cooper said.
"To get that first win was crucial, to get some runs on the board and some bowling in the legs. It was very pleasing."
After winning the toss and electing to bat on a flat Prell wicket, opener Dave Insley batted well early to give Marulan a platform as wickets tumbled around him.
After Insley fell at 3-53, the innings could have gone either way for the Mad Bulls. But when 16-year-old Patty Craig joined Clint Harding at the crease, a 70-run partnership began which steadied the ship.
Following Harding's departure for 53 with the score at 4-124, Craig anchored the innings and continued to punish the MBK bowlers with his wristy pull shot.
Doc O'Connell came in at number six, and proceeded to hammer a quick-fire 44, which included 20 off one Jetu Bayezid over. However, his blitzkrieg was ended by a stunning direct hit from Dean Roxburgh, who threw the ball from close to the boundary.
After the obstinate Craig was removed for 53, an innings which earned the young man handshakes from both his captain and some MBK players, the bowler, Brock Fahey, ran through the Mad Bulls' tail, to claim 5-28 from six overs by the end of the innings.
But it was not enough to prevent Marulan from compiling a total of 9-242, which thrilled Cooper.
"We used the best of the pitch, and it deteriorated towards the end, so we got the best opportunity," he said.
"To get 240-plus on a deck like that was always going to be hard for MBK to chase. We didn't lose too many early wickets, but it was our middle-order batting that shone."
The second innings began with a tumble of early wickets for MBK. After Insley snared one in the opening over, Andrew Tivey ripped out two more in the following six balls - which included the prize pole of Roxburgh for a golden duck.
At 3-2, MBK looked all but certain to fall to an ignominious defeat. However, Ben Staples and Fahey combined for the fourth wicket and steadied the ship. Once Fahey was dismissed for 13 at 4-42, captain Simon Fitzsimmons entered the fray with the clear goal of pushing the pace.
Together, Fitzsimmons and Staples put on exactly 50 before the former fell LBW to Craig for 27.
After Staples was bowled for 47 by Craig just five runs later, whose wily left-arm orthodox bowling snared him 2-27, the end was all but confirmed for MBK.
Michael Storm batted stoutly for 23 at number seven, but the last four batters offered precious little in the way of runs as the innings was eventually wrapped up for 134.
Cooper praised all of his players for battling through a tiring second innings, but he was particularly effusive about Craig's match-winning half-century and pair of wickets.
"We had him last year with the Stags, and then with Marulan coming back into First Grade, he was one player on my list that I wanted straight away," he said.
"We worked hard with him last year, and we could see the potential in him. I gave him the opportunity and I couldn't be prouder."
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