Eagles need 128 runs to seal must win game

In perfect conditions for batting, the Eagles won the toss and went against general convention to bat in such conditions and elected to take the field and bowl first.
Opening bowlers Zain Khan and Blake Pearson put in good opening spells with the new ball, but without making the vital breakthrough needed, Strathfield’s opening batters adopting a steady approach moving the score to be 0-47 after 22 overs.
To gain a break-through, Eagles veteran left arm finger spinner, Mohamed Dewji was brought on to bowl, resulting in the wily spinner making a critical breakthrough and having opening batter Cosikin Beadle stumped, gaining the side’s first wicket.
Given the hot conditions, the Eagles decided that using the sides depth of quality spinners was the way to go, with Captain Yasir Ali and 20-year-old, Sir Lankan First Class player, Gihan Ebert coming on to bowl in tandem.
That brought immediate results with wickets falling at regular intervals, as the Strathfield batters struggled to handle the guile, flight and spin of both bowlers.
After looking set to produce a big total for the Eagles to have chase, Strathfield was eventually bowled out for just 162 runs.
The Eagles then went into bat and immediately struck trouble when opener Yasir Ali was dismissed with the first ball of the Eagles innings.
However, Asad Usman and Ebert steadied the innings, with the Eagles finishing day one on 1-35, and needing 128 runs for victory on day two, next Saturday.
Lower Grades: Second Grade – Auburn 133 (H Randhawa 44) v Strathfield 43 (H Randhawa 4-5, N Azzimi 4-23); Third Grade – Auburn 171 (R Hakim 36, H Quinn 34, S Bridges 33, v Strathfield 2-50; Fourth Grade – Auburn 77 v Strathfield 6-95; and Fifth Grade – Auburn 9-278 (R Ebert 114, M Alwai 34, A Wijedesa 36, A Akkar 39) v Mt Pritchard-Southern Districts 91 (A Akkar 3-5, S Grasion 2-10, D Dhami 2-25).