Everything sunny for Cowichan cricket as season opens
Cowichan opened the Victoria and District Cricket Association cricket season with a bright home game win last weekend that matched the weather.
Facing an Oak Bay total of 217 runs, the home team took advantage of good batting conditions to close the match at 220 for just three wickets.
"This was a resounding seven-wicket victory that suggests the team will be once again challenging for top spot in the league," Cowichan's Howard Martin told the News Leader.
After winning the toss and choosing to bat first, Oak Bay's two opening batsmen quickly piled up the runs, only to be stopped in the 14th and 15th overs with the scoreboard showing 74 runs.
Again Oak Bay batsmen went on the attack and moved the score to 137 for 2 wickets through 21 overs.
"No bowler was able to tie them down effectively, but some rash shots and two brilliant catches by captain Clayton Bodkyn against the off-break bowling of Chris Batchelor cost Oak Bay some middle order wickets," Howard reported.
At 174 for 6 the game was starting to swing in Cowichan's favour. The innings closed after 36 overs with a total of 217 runs. Chris Batchelor finished with 4 wickets for 50 and Adam Benning 2 for 33.
With the good batting conditions holding, Cowichan entered the second innings expecting to run down the 217 runs easily.
Their confidence wavered slightly however when both openers were gone at 64 runs, but when Batchelor and Matthew Goode paired up the runs flowed.
Batchelor was run out on 96, four short of his second career century, while Goode advanced to 75 not out. Cowichan closed out at 220 for 3,
Cowichan's next game is against Metchosin today at Shawnigan Lake.
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