Seagulls skipper leads charge

By David Nagel
TOORADIN (6/203cc) gained a lot more than just 12 points when it defeated Kooweerup (174) in the West Gippsland Cricket Premier Division match of the round at Tooradin on Sunday.
The Seagulls gained belief, respect, a top-three spot on the ladder and a captain back to his best form as it took home the Ron Ingram Shield in a gripping contest against the Demons.
The Seagulls were a disconsolate group eight days previous as they sat in the visitors rooms at Pakenham’s Toomuc Reserve, shattered at a last over loss that had serious repercussions to its finals aspirations.
Fast forward to Sunday, however, and the Seagulls had redemption, a point not lost on skipper Aaron Avery (62 not out and 2/22) after he had just led his team to victory and a stirring rendition of its theme song straight after the match.
“Unbelievable, last week we were down in the dumps, and this week we feel on top of the world,” a satisfied Avery said.
“We sat down during the week and knew it was a massive game, a few results went our way yesterday (Saturday) so it was just great to get the win.”
Avery won the toss and elected to bat, but lost opener Brenton Adams (10) early, before Tom Hussey (49) and Callum O’Hare (60) joined forces for a solid but unspectacular 56-run stand.
Hussey departed to make the score 2/85 and when Jay Wilson (13) and Brad Sauer (3) both came and went quickly it left Avery striding to the crease with his team on 4/114, having just lost 3/29.
Avery and O’Hare were steady before the skipper exploded in the 39th over taking 23 from it, including three towering sixes which not only wrecked the bowlers figures, but the roof of the Tooradin Sports Club as well.
Kooweerup started well in its reply, but Ash Adams (2/35 off eight) changed the course of the match by having Demons danger-man Michael Giles (54) caught behind by Hussey.
Brenton Adams (1/28 off eight) and Avery bowled well in partnership with Adams, as the Seagulls tightened the screws on the Demons. From 3/118, they crawled to 5/131 in a seven-over stretch that pushed the run-rate above seven runs per over.
O’Hare (3/28 off six) and Avery then combined to take the last five wickets for just 18 runs, as the Demons lost its last nine wickets for 84 runs.
The win moves Tooradin into third place on the ladder.