GVBBL | Gallery | Panthers fall to Mud Dogs at Cobram Showgrounds

By Daniel Webb

Jan 16, 2023

Eyes on the ball: Cobram’s Adam De Cicco rolls the arm over. Photos: Aydin Payne Photo by Aydin Payne

It was not meant to be for the Cobram Panel Works Panthers on Sunday as the side suffered its second defeat of the Goulburn Valley League Bush Bash season.

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Welcoming two-time GVBBL premiers SRP Mud Dogs to the Cobram Showgrounds for round two of the tournament, the Panthers won the toss on their home deck and sent the visitors in to bat — a decision that would soon haunt them.

A 52-run opening partnership from Andrew Chalkley and Daniel Clohesy set the Mud Dogs up for victory, with Clohesy’s 45 the highest knock of the day.

Mud Dogs captain Liam Smith said it was this partnership that put the Shepparton-based team in the box seat to win the contest.

“I think our batsmen set us up in the start on that tricky wicket, they probably made it look a little bit better than what it was,” Smith said.

“Chalkley and Clohesy at the start, they really got us away and then we never really lost momentum through our batting innings, so it was super and then obviously the bowling and the fielding, they had a couple of little partnerships, but we never really let them get on top, so it was a really good all-round performance.”

While the Mud Dogs set a total of 6-147, the performances of Riley Gow (2-16) and Adam De Cicco (2-22) stood out for the Panthers, with the contest far from over when the home side came out to bat.

Scoring just two runs off the first over, the men in pink would soon find themselves in a world of trouble.

Losing Damian Cupido (7) in the third over, Tyron Baden (7) in the fourth and Shaun Downie (5) in the fifth, the Panthers were put in a precarious position and struggled to recover.

As the innings continued more wickets would fall as Josh Larkin (2-8), Rhys Irwin (2-13) and Taylor Beard (2-20) caused havoc, while Cobram Murray Valley Cricket Association talent Lachlan Hyde bowled a strong 0-12 off two overs for the visitors.

Bowled out for 92, Isaac Willett top-scored for the home side with 26, with Vikai Kelley making a solid 18 from 21 balls.

Despite the loss, the Panthers' season is far from over.

Set to take on the Jarvis Delahey Crushers in round three of the tournament on January 29, the Panthers can still lock in a grand final berth if everything goes their way.

In the other round two game played out on Sunday the Hurley’s Hotel Hounds cruised to victory against the Crushers.

A rogue sprinkler forced the game to be delayed and when play did get under way a tricky wicket caused chaos.

Sent in to bat first the Crushers were dismissed for just 60 runs before the Hounds chased down the total losing just one wicket.

THE GAME

SRP Mud Dogs 6-147 (Daniel Clohesy 45, Andrew Chalkley 29, Riley Gow 2-16, Adam De Cicco 2-22) d CPW Panthers 92 (Isaac Willett 26, Josh Larkin 2-8, Rhys Irwin 2-13)

STAR PLAYER: Daniel Clohesy (SRP Mud Dogs) - The Mud Dogs opener was all class on Sunday, helping set the tempo early for his side’s victory. Facing a strong bowling attack on a tricky wicket, Clohesy made his way to 45 off 46 balls including two fours and two sixes.