NORTH’S encouraging start to the year continued on Saturday afternoon with a commanding nine-wicket win over the Pies at the Alma Oval.
Central co-captain Jarred Paull won the toss and decided to give his side first look at the wicket.
Once again it would be the swing twins in Austin Wilson Jaxon Cain to kick off proceedings.
The ball proved hard to control to begin with, but once that was sorted it would be Wilson who claimed the first wicket of the day, with an absolute peach through the defences of Zac Robards.
Rocky Ninovic and new man Joel Delaney then became the new partnership and some tight bowling from the North attack saw the runs dry up.
Benjamin Jurd joined the attack on with immediate effect, bowling Delaney after an over where he had him all at sea.
The dangerous Sheldon Hall came to the crease and began his innings in typically flamboyant fashion.
He and Ninovic managed to get the Pies to drinks at two for 41, looking to have a solid foundation for a big total.
Mick Maalste had different ideas though, having Hall caught down the leg side by Hack in a big moment in the game.
New boy Connor “Lightning” McLean then took his first wicket in the Blue & White, having Ninovic caught behind and Central a bit wobbly at four for 55.
Tobias Hack then introduced spin into the attack and a tight over from Vellasaw the wickets of Jarred Paull and Ayden Pettitt in consecutive balls and the Dogs were now right on top in the contest.
A few scattered boundaries rounded out the innings as well as Jurd rattling the stumps of Jennings as Central crawled to seven for 78 after a brilliant second 10 over spell in the field from the Dogs.
It was again the left handed pair of Hack and Michael Maalste to open the batting for North, and one could’ve easily got them mixed up early on in the innings as they both took an aggressive approach to the Central opening bowlers.
There were some glorious shots through cover from Maalste as well as Hack capitalising on some short bowling to pepper the boundary as North raced towards the target at a great rate of knots.
Maalste was eventually dismissed for a run-a-ball 25 as he continued his great start to the season with the bat.
With only 4 runs to win, it was decided to send out the returning Riley Bomford to get the job done.
He managed to negotiate the following over successfully, claiming the red ink with two not out.
