STRONG START: Opening batsman Martin Ryan was solid, and looked to be heading towards a good total before being bowled by Whorouly’s Nelum Kumara for 18.

Crossman, Thompson help Beechworth put up a strong fight against in form Whorouly/Gapsted

Written by SCOTT ANDERSON.

BEECHWORTH put up a strong fight in its one day match against top four side Whorouly/Gapsted at the weekend, but ultimately fell short in the final round of WDCA action before the Christmas break.

While few expected the Wanderers to defeat a full strength Maroons, they certainly gave it a good shot after being sent in by Whorouly skipper Luke O’Keefe.

With Sri Lankan speedster Nelum Kumara recovered from a side strain, and the likes of Ron Elliott, Trent Curtain, Paul Neary and Rod Newton looking to wreak havoc with the ball, O’Keefe was obviously looking for his charges to tear through the Wanderers’ bats.

But after losing Kayde Surrey (four) to an early run out, Beechworth hit back, with Martin Ryan and Brenton Surrey handling the pressure with aplomb.

Both looked to be seeing the ball well, and appeared set for a big partnership when Kumara snuck a quick delivery through Ryan’s defences, bowling the opener for 18 as the Wanderers slipped to 2/28.

Surrey went on the offensive in an attempt to lift the scoring rate, and took much of the strike before Kumara struck again, dismissing the Beechworth captain for 19.

Ben Chambeyron didn’t last much longer, caught by Rod Newton off Curtain for three, and at 4/60 things were looking decidedly shaky in the Wanderers’ camp.

But a middle order resistance was staged by Brendon Thompson and Adam Crossman, and suddenly the runs began to flow as the pair dealt with spells from Neary, Curtain and Scott Pell.

Crossman played the aggressor, batting beautifully as he thrashed the Maroons’ attack all over the Whorouly Memorial Park oval, and the Wanderers appeared to be gaining the upper hand.

But Pell eventually made the breakthrough, trapping Crossman in front for 32 and shattering Beechworth’s hopes of posting a big score.

Thompson went on to make 29, but when he was bowled by Newton the Wanderers were back in trouble at 6/112.

Gareth Pritchard (11 not out) and Darrell McFeeters (10) added some valuable late runs, but finishing up at 8/145 it was always going to be a massive struggle to defend such a total against the aggressive Maroons.

Richard Worcester and Dean Fitzpatrick opened the bowling and kept things tight early on, with Pell and Newton forced to dig deep for runs.

Worcester dismissed Newton for just two, but Pell and Lakpriya Perera kept the scoreboard ticking over for Whorouly.

McFeeters broke the stand at 22 when he had Pell caught by Ryan for 30, and when Kayde Surrey struck with the scalp of Perera Beechworth was back in the match.

A well made 24 from Darren Hourigan helped the Maroons get back on track, before O’Keefe (37) and Neary (57 not out) comfortably guided the home side to victory.

The loss sees Beechworth go into the break in 10th place on the A grade ladder, but still just one win behind fifth-placed Corowa.