An all-round performance from Harry Conway and another impressive half-century from Harry Nielsen weren’t enough to get the West End Redbacks over the line in their Marsh Cup match against Victoria on Thursday afternoon, suffering a three-wicket defeat.
Pre-match, Conway gave his Glenelg District Cricket Club teammate Jake Winter his first Redbacks cap, rewarded for his many Premier Cricket runs as captain of the Bays with his Marsh Cup debut.
Victoria won the toss and sent the Redbacks in at Junction Oval and Winter didn’t have to wait long for his first taste, coming in at first drop.
He had a 62-run partnership with the Redbacks captain for the day, Nathan McSweeney, who hit seven boundaries on his way to a whirlwind 42.
When Winter got out for 24, it brought the in-from Harry Nielsen to the crease and while the middle-order struggled around him, he went on to make yet another half-century.
His partnership with a fellow Harry – Conway – got the Redbacks back into the match after falling to 7-132.
The duo had an 81-run partnership to get the Redbacks to a competitive total of 9-231 at the end of their 50 overs.
Conway quadrupled his previous high score of 10* and by finishing not out on 43*, had a List-A average of 83 at the end of the innings.
After his batting exploits, Conway got straight back involved by opening the bowling and despite a tight first five overs by him and Jordan Buckingham, the Victorian openers got away after that and had a 100-run stand.
Henry Thornton broke that partnership and he and his fellow fast bowlers took regular wickets from then on, with Buckingham finishing with great figures of 3-36 off his 10 overs and Thornton picking up two wickets himself.
Conway also took two wickets and those alongside a great juggling catch in the deep confirmed an all-round great match for the quick.
Despite those wickets, the opening partnership did the damage and the Victorian’s were able to chase down the runs with five overs spare.
It was a taxing week for South Australia in Victoria, with all-rounder Liam Scott rolling his ankle in the Sheffield Shield match and Henry Hunt likely to have broken his nose in the field during the Marsh Cup clash.
Both players will have scans to determine the extent of their injuries.
The Redbacks return to Adelaide next week for their final March Cup match of the season, against Queensland at Karen Rolton Oval on Wednesday, February 14.
Starting on Friday, the two teams will then face each other in a Marsh Sheffield Shield clash at Adelaide Oval, set to start at 10:30am each day.