MANSFIELD B Grade endured a day to forget when they travelled to a scorching hot Mulwala to face Yarrawonga-Mulwala in their first game of 2025 last Saturday. With several regulars out of action due to the holidays, the team were only able to scrape together ten players, despite being bolstered by three new and welcome additions to the club. Ross O’Meara joined his son Felix in representing Mansfield Cricket Club, the pair becoming our third father-son combination for the season. Having won the toss, Delatite chose to bat. The hope was that the expected late-afternoon change in conditions would assist the bowlers in the second innings. It wasn't to be. The speed and accuracy of opening bowler Jyda House, along with some inconsistent bounce and swing, saw two of the top three departing for zero in what was a disappointing start to the match. A watchful innings from Joshua Cook saw him hold up his end while wickets fell around him before he became the second victim of Yarrawonga-Mulwala captain Gary Browning. Browning swung the ball prodigiously on his way to a devastating five wicket haul. When first-gamer Keaton de Vent came to the crease, he bucked the trend of low scores and gentle strokeplay by clubbing an early ball for six. Finishing on 20 not out, Keaton admirably held up one end of the crease while the remaining batting order crumbled around him. Delatite ended the innings on a disappointing 9/42. With the innings closed out ahead of schedule, the bowlers and those in the field did not benefit from the expected cool change and they toiled with the hot sun upon their backs. Despite some reasonably tight bowling from Delatite, the task at hand was too great and the result was never in doubt. Though the game ended in disappointment, the debut bowling of Ross O’Meara and Ed Harley, and a wicket to Cook’s well-flighted leg-spin were encouraging signs for the season ahead. Yarrawonga Mulwala went on to close out the game in the 13th over, giving both teams the late afternoon off. Delatite will host Milawa at home next week, with a better performance expected.
