Great Boulder is in the box seat for the Eastern Goldfields Cricket Association’s A-grade minor premiership after an attack spearheaded by Mewa Jeetarwal and Waqar ali Ahmed led a six-wicket demolition of Lake View when fixtures resumed on Saturday.
With five rounds of the qualifying series left and an automatic grand final berth on the line for the team finishing first, the Two Blues assumed outright leadership with a clinical display when Lake View were routed for 84 in 32.1 overs.
Batting first after winning the toss, the Viewers were given a cautious start by openers Luke Gilfillan and David Forrest, who safely negotiated the first five overs.
But it got ugly quickly after Forrest (5) became Jeetarwal’s first victim, off the second ball of the sixth over.
First drop Ashley Malec (0) was stumped three balls later and Stuart Kennedy (0) and Gilfillan (1) followed suit in the next three overs before Lake View further slumped to 5-19.
Mark Williams saw off 43 deliveries while scoring 16 and Jasper Marlow went at a strike rate of 80.76 in his 21 off 26 balls.
It was the top-score on a disappointing scorecard for the Viewers, complemented by No.11 batter Corey Johnston’s unbeaten 10 off 20 balls.
Jeetarwal’s impressive spell was rewarded with 4-16 and Ahmed finished with 4-30 as Lake View were dealt a fifth consecutive defeat.
Josh Rushmore and Alex Jerrard finished with a wicket apiece and Great Boulder chased down the total inside 23 overs.
It wasn’t completely straight-forward, however, with the Two Blues initially stuttering to 3-38 before Rushmore steadied the ship with 25 off 40 balls.
It included four boundaries and Bevan Bennell contributed 13 off 11 balls before Daniel Tebble saw Great Boulder home with an unbeaten 29.
Tebble’s innings was carved from 50 balls and included five boundaries as Kennedy grabbed 3-12.
Great Boulder have won their past four matches and are on a mission this summer in pursuit of the flag after being relegated to runners-up in each of the past three seasons.
All three grand final losses were after they had finished as minor premiers.
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