Endeavour Hills captain-coach Ben Maroney, pictured defending against Yarraville, wants to see his batsmen display more patience at the crease.By Marc McGowan
THE competition for places in Endeavour Hills’ first XI Victorian Sub District Cricket Association side is heating up after Yarraville easily accounted for the team at Sydney Pargeter Reserve on Saturday.
Captain-coach Ben Maroney has already earmarked promotions for Peter Edwards and Vaughan Baxter, who won the W.J. Price Trophy for the best second XI player last season.
The Hills is sorely missing a veteran presence, and the pair will be welcome additions.
The seven-wicket defeat leaves Endeavour Hills in 10th place in the 14-team East/West Group.
Yarraville resumed at 1/46 in pursuit of the Hills’ 134 and had some shaky moments before lunch.
Matthew Hutchinson (2/32 from 17 overs), following his 6/38 in the previous round, came out all guns blazing and picked up the wickets of Nick Meletis and David Flatley to have the Eagles 3/58.
But with such a small total to reach, Yarraville only needed one player to get set, and it was Gary Hughes with 140 not out who produced the goods.
Together with Ijaz Ahmad (46), Hughes weathered the storm from Hutchinson and Ryan Kitchin (4/74 from 15 overs) and guided his team past the target.
Their 117-run union came to an end when former Cardinia quick Kitchin, who measures 201 centimetres, bowled Ahmad, but the game was already lost.
Kitchin, however, kept toiling hard and snared two more scalps to continue his rapid rise since switching to the club this year.
Maroney was impressed with the 19-year-old, but demanded improvement from his batsmen.
“We bowled quite well because it was the best wicket we played on all year,” he said.
“It wasn’t bad the week before, but this week it was a very flat track and a fast outfield.
“The bowlers are doing quite well – I’m happy with them – and the fielding was up to standard, but we just need to get the runs on the board.”
The performance of Hughes was one Maroney hoped his young team-mates learned from.
“He played and missed a lot and struggled early, but he showed patience and went on to make 140,” he said.
“We have definitely not been patient with the bat. If you get held down you have to give the bowler credit and not try to hit them out of the ground.
“I’ve been finding the boys have been comfortable getting 15 to 20 runs, but things need to change.”
Endeavour Hills is back at Sydney Pargeter Reserve again at 1pm on Saturday to take on Mount Waverley, which also has just one win from three matches.
