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Rochester Tigers came close to securing second spot on the Campaspe Cricket Association ladder, but fell just short of recording an outright victory against Bunnaloo on Saturday.

Playing at Rochester, the Tigers played a solid and consistent game throughout to make sure of the points, but the contest was not without some intensity as the travelling players chipped in at various points.

Tigers all rounder Jake Wright, who also played in yesterday’s Water to Wickets match against the Australian Masters team in Rochester, was the man of the match after his performance with both the ball and bat during the game.

After winning the toss and sending the home team into bat last week, Wright (3/26) took the first three wickets of the match, removing Luke Hartshorn, Tom Edgar and dangerous captain Justin Van Niekerk, who was also his side’s top scorer with 32.

It was an all-round bowling performance from the visitors as wickets continued to fall, with only Wendell Vagg (17) and Josh Gorry (20) providing further resistance from the top order as they combined for a 36-run partnership.

Grant Wachter (2/15), Liam Ringin (2/35), Brad Major (2/24) and Adrian Tuddenham (1/9) bowled economically to restrict Bunnaloo’s total, with Harry Shirley (25 not out) helping guide the tail enders as the team was bowled out for 130 in the 69th over.

Tigers captain Andrew Good fell cheaply in his team’s reply, but a 33-run partnership between Mitch Crawford and Sean Williams (32) steadied the innings.

However, Justin Hartshorn (3/27) and Van Niekerk (2/26) combined to lay waste to the Tigers’ top order, leaving the visitors at 5/64 and giving Bunnaloo hope to claim first innings points.

Wright then entered the fray and, in a whirlwind innings which included one six and five boundaries, smashed 42 runs in his 55-run partnership with Matt Colwell as the team passed the total soon after.

Colwell played a steady hand at the crease as the Tigers increased the lead, the English import playing a vital role as first Wright and then Brent Mitchell smashed the Bunnaloo attack all around the oval.

Colwell was the first to go after making 36, while Mitchell had enough time to register a half-century, hitting two sixes and six boundaries in his 53-run stand as the team finished on 212 with an overall lead of 82.

Tom Edgar (2/14), Darren Wright (1/28), Hartshorn (1/41) and Jason Heywood (1/5) were the other wicket-takers.

With 22 overs remaining in the match, the Tigers gave themselves every chance of claiming a surprise outright victory as Wachter (3/10) and Jake Wright (2/6) tore through the top order to have the home side reeling at 5/15 after nine overs.

However, Hartshorn (17 not out) and Vagg (10 not out) held on to see the side finish at 6/42 at the end of the day’s play with the Tigers claiming victory on the first innings result.