Bourke District Cricket Report — Finals race heats up as Boomerangs defeat Louth

Louth and Boomerangs cricket teams met at Louth on the weekend. Back row - Dane Parnaby, Brian Wilson, Jamie Moore, Gavin Campbell, Will Mitchell, Ben Nott. Middle row – Chad Taylor, Peter Knight, Brian Wilson, Cecil Towney Jnr, Hugo Ridge, Blaine Knight, Rob Dickison, Clinton Edwards, Clay Simmonds. Front row – Laine Brown, Andrew Bell, Paul Edwards, Scott Mitchell, Jamahl. Photo contributed

The Bourke Boomerangs have given their finals hopes a major boost after defeating Louth on Saturday.

Louth faced off against the Boomerangs at Louth Cricket Club in a match that would have significant bearing on the finals picture leading into March.

For the Boomerangs, this was their first game away from the lush green grass of Davidson Oval and would be a great test of their resilience on a hot, dusty Louth Cricket Oval, against a Louth side looking to solidify their place in the top three.

The Boomerangs won the toss and elected to bat, opening with Nathan Orcher and Brian Wilson.

It wasn’t long before Boomerangs would lose their first wicket, Orcher caught and bowled by Andrew Bell for 8 runs to get Louth off to a great start.

Leighlan Brown (14) was next to the crease and quickly took the score to 1/28 before being judged lbw, again to the bowling of Bell.

Lane Brown could manage only 5 runs before he lost his wicket to the bowling of Clay Simmonds.

With the score at 3/38, the Boomerangs looked to all-rounder Blaine Knight to push the team towards a healthy total.

Blaine (19) put on a 23-run partnership with Wilson (2) who would eventually lose his wicket to the bowling of Dane Parnaby.

Paul Edwards contributed 16 runs and the Boomerangs were in good shape at 4 for 70.

They then lost five quick wickets taking the score to 9/92 and were in danger of posting a total that would be difficult to defend.

The tail well and truly wagged, with Jamahl Smith (26) and Jamie Moore (12 not out) putting on a combined 40 run partnership to take the total to a defendable 132 runs.

Louth began the innings with father and son combination, Scott and Will Mitchell. The two put on 17 runs together before Scott was run out for a score of 7.

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