The MCC Men’s Premier Cricket 1st XI team has been crowned premiers of Victoria’s top state league, defeating Carlton in a memorable victory at Windy Hill over the weekend.
Consistent rain earlier in the week saw the wicket spend a large portion of the lead-up undercover, presenting what was likely to be a bowler-friendly pitch – with skipper Blake Thomson showing no hesitation when sending the Blues in to bat first after winning the toss on Friday.It was Kieran Elliott who again struck first with the ball, claiming the big wicket of Mackenzie Harvey for just three runs, and Fergus O’Neill having Tom Smyth caught by Jack Harper to leave the score at 2/9.
Carlton’s Nick Ross joined by Harry Smyth – two of the competition’s leading run scorers - steadied the crease for Carlton, ensuring no further loss of wickets at the first break.
However, the bowlers kept toiling away and eventually were rewarded, with Elliott removing Smyth to break the big partnership, and sending captain Evan Gulbis in to bat. Gulbis went on to make just two runs before punching a catch to Charles Lill off the bowling of O’Neill, much to the delight of the Dees as the score fell to 4/88.
The MCC bowlers continued to power through after lunch, despite some late resistance from Carlton’s lower order. The innings was brought to a close with a brilliant one-handed catch by a diving Sam Harper off Elliott’s bowling, seeing Elliott finish the leading wicket taker with 4/74 off 20.4 overs.
Coming in to bat in the late afternoon of the first day saw tricky conditions for the MCC batters. Thomson and Lill started off in fine fashion, navigating their way through the first nine overs and taking the score to 15, however, the loss of Thomson triggered a nightmare 20 minute period which saw the Dees lose four wickets for six runs when stumps was called early due to rain.
When play eventually got underway on day two, following a delayed start due to rain, Carlton had the momentum. The Harper brothers – Sam and Jack – provided a much-needed partnership for the Demons as they wrestled back control of the match.
Sam made a crucial half-century (56 from 92 balls) which included seven boundaries, however, his 144-minute stay at the crease crucially lifted the score to 99. Brother Jack spent 244 minutes in the middle to inch his side closer and closer to first innings points. Like his brother, he also scored 56 (from 156 balls including six boundaries) and took out the John Scholes Medal for the player of the match.
It took just 19 balls to score the remaining 25 runs needed to get ahead in first innings. A strong performance from the tail frustrated the Blues and took-up valuable time in the game, with Melbourne eventually all out for 236 on Sunday morning.
With the Blues behind in the match, the attacking intent was clear from the start of the final day of play, with Carlton eventually declaring on 7/207 and setting-up for a thrilling final chase. The equation was simple: for a Carlton victory, they required all 10 wickets to fall; for a Melbourne victory – the batters needed to survive 50 overs, or chase down a target of 156.
Openers Thomson and Lill navigated some challenging bowling from Carlton, keeping the scoreboard ticking over to see a score of 100 without a loss of wicket. Thomson eventually fell for 60 off 129 balls, and Lill not long after for 41 from 106. Zane Keighran added a late flurry of runs, before Will Pucovski and his great mate Sam Harper saw out the 50 overs to give Melbourne the victory.
The MCC Men’s 1st XI team’s last premiership came in the COVID-19 effected 2019-20 season. The Club has now won a total of 22 Men’s 1st XI premierships.
Scorecard
1st innings – Carlton 184| NJ Ross: 68(102) | KJ Elliot: 4/74 |
| LJ McKenna: 40 (53) | FP O’Neill: 3/53 |
1st innings – Melbourne 236
| SB Harper: 56 (92) | CA Stevenson: 4/72 |
| JW Harper: 56/156 | TJ Smyth: 2/9 |
2nd innings – Carlton 7(dec) 207
| MW Harvey: 106(86) | KJ Elliott: 3/95 |
| TJ Smyth: 24/30 | GJ Hannah: 2/37 |
2nd innings – Melbourne 3/151
| BR Thomson: 60 (129) | EC O’Sullivan: 2/14 |
| BJ Lill: 41 (106) | XA Crone: 1/55 |
Melbourne won on 1st innings