DEFENDING premiers Big O have claimed the outright lead in the 2008/09 Merrin Cup competition following a hard-fought seven wicket victory over Harden at Tim Doolan Oval on Saturday.
While the margin of victory may seem substantial, it was a tough day at the office for both teams as only 244 runs were scored off more than 66 overs.
It was a match in which the established stars of both sides, players who have been representing Coota in First XI fixtures this summer, came to the fore.
Harden’s total of 7-120 was dominated by an unbeaten 63 from Rob Barron, while Kyal Berg and Darren Connell played major roles with the ball in keeping the home town side’s score down to a moderate total.
Connell, a multiple Merrin Cup Cricketer of the Year and Bennett Rudd Award winner, also showed his class with the bat, remaining 49 not out when the target was reached, having shared in an unbeaten 77 run stand with another representative player, Scott Meale.
Early in the match, played on a deck that had plenty of life, it was Berg who held all the aces.
The wiry quick struck in each of his three overs to leave the home side reeling at 3-11 and having to contend with the fact Nathan Schofield, Kai Steele and Jason Pollard were all back in the hutch.
With Dean Bradley operating effectively from the other end and leaking just seven runs off his opening six over, patience was now the focus for the home side.
Barron and Chris Hocking nudged the score along to 36 before Michael Buttriss broke what could have been a fruitful partnership, having Hocking caught by Bradley for eight.
That wicket came on the final ball of Buttriss’ third over, but surprisingly it would be the last delivery he’d bowl as Big O skipper Craig McTavish opted for the deadly-accurate medium pace of Darren Connell and the spin of often-underrated Dean Guthrie.
Connell’ fulfilled his role perfectly, capturing 2-23 off 10 overs in a match-defining stint, leaving the Harden side with no other option than to go after Guthrie.
It worked in part as Guthrie went for almost five an over off his maximum of 10, however he did pitch in with the wicket of Matt Schofield.
With Barron playing the lead role, he and Alex Jones added 41 in an unbeaten eighth-wicket partnership, Jones remaining not out on 14, while Barron took his season tally of runs past the 100-mark.
Berg, who finished the innings with 3-21 off nine overs in another superb exhibition, was then asked to open the Big O batting as work commitments saw him needed back in town by mid afternoon.
In his first chance at the crease for the season, Berg looked solid in compiling 28, his wicket the second to fall after Michael Ricketts had earlier been bowled for six.
Jarrad Sharman, another of the regular fixtures in the First XI, took both and soon after had three strikes in the wicket column when he had Aaron Vitnell caught for just six.
However, that’s where the joy for the home side ended as Connell and Meale batted sensibly given the conditions, their partnership lasting 16 overs.
The six points for the win see Big O leapfrog Harden into first place on 33 points, three points clear, while Central Hotel 1 are a further three points behind in third.
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