BIG BASH
20-20 competition draws big crowds again

20 January 2010

JOHN DONEGAN

THE Casterton and District Cricket Association’s annual 20-20 cricket competition attracted large crowds to Island Park on Saturday to watch some big hitting, good bowling and excellent catching.

The competition has proved to be the association’s biggest day for the season and a real crowd pleaser as well and at the end of an entertaining day of cricket, Casterton proved its superiority in this version of the game with a comfortable victory over Edenhope in the final.

Now in the third year of the competition, Pigeon Ponds was successful in 2007, Dergholm in 2008 and Casterton in 2010.

Despite the attractions of finals cricket, people have voted with their feet to make the 20-20 competition the highlight of the year in Casterton Cricket.

Top performers with the bat were Merino’s Darren Murrell who smashed a swashbuckling 96 not out, Aaron Lloyd (Edenhope) made 52, Allan McIntyre (Edenhope) 50 and Matt Murphy (Casterton) 55 not out.

Of the bowlers, Matt Killey (Casterton), Gary Carlin (Wando Vale), Toby Sloan (Edenhope), Brett Vaughan (Dergholm), Chris Carter (Edenhope), Peter Larkins (Casterton), Lionel Balzan (Wando Vale), Peter Staude (Pigeon Ponds) and Chris Hateley (Edenhope) all captured three wickets in an innings.

In the field, Ricky Killey (Casterton) took six catches, Theo Zaxos (Edenhope) took three catches and made two stumpings, Michael Jarrad (Merino) and Nick Doelle (Edenhope) also took three catches.

Before the first game at both venues, everyone stood to honour the memories of William Beever and Verna Holmes with a minute’s silence.