Shepherd stars in convincing win for unbeaten Bandits

After their Twenty/20 cricket win over the Concrete Cowboys on Friday night, the Back Door Bandits have sealed the minor premiership and are now only one win away from an unbeaten season.

The Concrete Cowboys won the toss and elected to bat first however very few of their players were able to make significant contributions.

Daniel Stephens was dismissed for a duck early on by Jed Noonan, putting the team on the back foot.

Tyler Coughlan (10 runs off nine balls) fought briefly, hitting two boundaries before being dismissed leaving the Cowboys at 2/16.

The middle order showed little resistance with the consistent fall of wickets and the Cowboys had lost seven wickets for 45.

Troy Barrow (40 off 35 balls) provided a brief spark, but the lack of support from the lower order saw the Concrete Cowboys all out for 82, with Barrow being dismissed as the final wicket at 10/82.

The Back Door Bandits bowled brilliantly, with David Watson (3/8) and Mathew Shepherd (1/7) being standouts.

The Bandits’ bowlers consistently stifled the Cowboys throughout the innings.

Other contributions came from Jayden Potts (2/1) and Jed Noonan (1/2), who further restricted the Cowboys’ batting efforts.

The Back Door Bandits chased down the 82-run target effortlessly, reaching 0/83 in 14.2 overs.

Mathew Shepherd played a steady, composed knock, finishing not out on 38 from 49, including four boundaries. He anchored the innings, guiding the chase with patience.

James McClure was the aggressor of the chase, contributing 44 runs from 37 balls.

His batting, although not without some luck, ensured the chase was completed without any stress.

The opening partnership remained unbroken, as the Bandits comfortably reached the target.

The Cowboys’ bowling effort, though steady at times, failed to challenge the Bandits’ openers. Kody Martin (two overs, six runs) and Daniel Stephens (two overs, eight runs) were the pick of the bowlers, maintaining solid economies.

The Back Door Bandits cruised to a 10-wicket victory to seal the minor premiership and keep their unbeaten run intact.—contributed