By RUSSELL BENNETT
IF THERE was an end-of-season award for recruit of the year, Chris Smith might already have one hand on the trophy.
He was simply ruthless on Saturday for Pakenham’s West Gippsland Cricket Association’s Premier grade side against Upper Beaconsfield, which would have entered the second day’s play of their clash with hope of a positive result.
But Lions skipper Dom Paynter said it best when he described Smith’s 177-run knock from the top of the Pakenham order as “clinical”.
The Pakenham Upper-Toomuc convert combined with Jason ‘Boof’ Williams (105no) for a 246-run second wicket stand that easily surpassed the Maroons’ 167 run total.
“Both guys just played really straight and the ground quickened up as the day wore on,” Paynter explained.
“It was our first home game of the year at Toomuc (Reserve) and it’s a really quick surface there.”
Despite his imposing total, which included plenty of boundaries, Smith took his time to get his eye in.
“He does face a lot of deliveries,” Paynter said.
“But he has superb hands and ridiculous ability.
“He just always puts the bad balls away.”
Paynter put emphasis on his side batting a full 80 overs on Saturday and the line-up handled the task with ease – finishing on 3/337 from 89.
Smith is the leading run scorer in the Premier season to date with 351 at a mammoth 117 per knock.
It’s no surprise that Paynter rates his contribution to the Lions so far as “massive”.
“He’s just fitted in with the boys beautifully and played a huge role,” he said.
But Williams wasn’t to be discounted, either.
“It was Boof’s first knock of the year,” Paynter said.
“It wasn’t free-flowing, but it was chanceless.
“He’d been waiting in the wings without spending any time at the crease and it was just pleasing to see him playing his natural game.”
Maroons skipper John Simpson used no less than 10 bowlers in a search for answers against a Pakenham onslaught, but to no real avail.
Only Kyle Gibbs (2/40) and Paul Matthews (1/15) could break through for the visitors.
After such a strong batting performance, Paynter is confident of a good performance from his side this week against the Bulls in Cardinia.
Confident, but cautious.
“I’m backing the boys in for a good performance but we’re not disregarding Cardinia,” he said.
“A guy like Barf (Neil Barfuss) is always in the game.
“They’ve been at the top for a while now and they were certainly the guys to look at while we were rebuilding, ourselves.
“They’re definitely a club with plenty of pride.”
Meanwhile, gutsy lower-order knocks from Tooradin teenage pair Andrew Proctor (58) and Dylan Sutton (43) played a huge role in their side’s win over Merinda Park in a rematch of last season’s grand final.
In the remaining games of the round, Kooweerup (9/286cc) was too strong for Emerald (7/214cc); and Cardinia (7/238cc) staved off a stoic Pakenham Upper-Toomuc (197).
District
NNG/Maryknoll 6/239 (C Lewis 68, J Skobia 40, H Straughair 3/63) d Lyndhurst Vikings 238 (A Bajwa 88, D Spencer 58, K McLeod 3/37).
SFX Old Collegians 1/182 (C Shepherdson 136no, S Murdoch 1/36) d Cranbourne Meadows 176 (S Murdoch 71, J Broomhall 48, T Shepherdson 5/59, T Roscoe 2/40).
Beaconsfield 8/301 (M Floyd 4/73) d Devon Meadows 174 (D O’Brien 46, D Steet, G Scales 3/31, M Meehan 3/50).
Clyde 205 (D Williams 63, D Denton 54, J Bethune 3/50, C Banbury 2/16) d Catani 137 (J Miller 38, J Young 33, D Williams 2/4, K Brooke 2/19).
Sub-District
Clyde 269 (K Peries 78, A Buller 57, R Little 5/79) d Cardinia 233 (R Campbell 112, A Nooy 71, A Buller 3/52, S Webster 3/56).
Lang Lang 9/129cc (S Cole 43no, T Miller 27 ret, L Adams 3/28, R Simpson 2/25) d Tooradin 67 (C Fulton 3/16, S Cole 3/30) and 5/106 (B Lenders 38no, L Adams 31).
Pakenham 8/201 (S Webster 64 ret, G Interlandi 40, C McDonald 2/32, S Hassall 2/37) d Upper Beaconsfield 177 (P Brennan 71, J Bayard 54, T Kapoor 5/40).
Officer 7/491 (P Singh 110, P Symonds 72, B Reid 58, B McHugh 50, J Hackett 2/36) d Nyora 198 (G Hackett 64, A Tagliaferro 40, J Quinn 5/1, P Singh 4/58).
