LDCA A grade cricket
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PHANTOMS have secured first innings points and set themselves up for an outright victory over LSC Colts after day one of the clash at Yanco Sportsground on Saturday.
Having rolled the Colts for 61, Phantoms were dismissed in their innings to conclude the day having made 163, a lead of 102 runs.
In what ended up a one-man wrecking crew, the Phantoms' day was superbly set up by Steven Weckert, who took 6-22 in 12.4 overs and then went out to score 71 runs at number three.
Phantoms only used three bowlers as, after a strong start, the Colts threw their wickets away.
Electing to play one man down with strike bowler Josh Carn absent for day one, the Colts needed to hold their nerve and put runs on the board.
Lachlan O'Callaghan (18) and Nathan Carn (13) got off to a good start, putting on 26.
However, Adam Hopkins (2-28) removed first O'Callaghan and then Carn with the score on 31 and it all went pear-shaped for the Colts, losing 8-30.
Mark Burns (5) and Chris Killen (17) looked dangerous for a patch, but Weckert, bowling unchanged, took care of Burns, Dylan Barnes (0) and Jarryd Day (0) in the space of four runs. Richard Keith (1-11) had Killen caught at mid on by Sean Ryan and then Weckert wreaked havoc through the tail to dismiss the Colts in 25.4 overs. With the small total in sight, the Phantoms openers Ryan Thurgood (17) and Matt Dedini (17) were scoring at a fair clip, but both were removed by Burns (3-46).
However, with Weckert at the wicket, the scoring rate didn't slow as he took to the attack with relish. He dominated a 50-run partnership with Tim Rolls (7), inadvertently had Ben Richards (4) run out off the bowling touching the straightest of drives and was finally dismissed by Sam Cooper (2-17) with the score on 144.
Like the Colts, the Phantoms' batting fell away at the end, losing 6-17, but with stumps called at the fall of the last wicket they had set up the game for a win on day two.