A COBY Dudman hat-trick could not prevent Cobden from upstaging South West Cricket ladder leader Pomborneit.
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Dudman achieved the rare feat by removing Angus Uwland, Darcy Meade and Leigh Walsh in consecutive balls at Cobden on Saturday.
The Lismore recruit bowled Uwland for 40 and had Meade adjudged leg before wicket for a duck with the last two balls of his eighth over.
He completed the hat-trick by bowling skipper Leigh Walsh for 10 with the first ball of his ninth over en route to 4-23 from 10 overs.
Cobden was in trouble at 6-95 in pursuit of 118 but got over the line thanks to Kaplan McCann (22) and Jono Benallack (six) and finished with 157.
Ryan Simmonds (41) was also important in the win, which came seven days after an upset victory against second-ranked Noorat.
Cobden captain Brent Goonan said the triumphs against the SWC top two were a result of his players simply holding their catches.
“I think both sides were missing a couple of players, that helps,” he said.
‘‘But we’ve held our catches really, it’s as simple as that,” he said.
“A few key batsmen have given some chances early which we’ve hung on to.
‘‘We’ve bowled pretty well all year but our catching has let us down.
“And a few of the younger fellas like Angus Uwland and Ryan Simmonds have batted well the last two weeks.”
Goonan said Cobden “looked a bit shaky” when Dudman threatened to win the game for Pomborneit before McCann turned saviour.
“He’s been run out a couple of times and was a bit low on confidence, he asked to be put down the order,” Goonan said.
“In a way it worked out for us. It was lucky we had him there, I don’t know if anyone could’ve done what he did.”
In other SWC matches, young gun Tyler Schafer hit a century as Mortlake beat Woorndoo by 165 runs at D. C. Farran Oval.
Schafer made 108 while Clinton Baker (34) and Shane Slater (35) also contributed to the Cats’ 7-230 batting first.
Woorndoo was all out for 65 in reply, with Todd Lamont taking 3-23 to leading the bowling attack.
Bookaar has taken a giant step towards playing in finals after rolling Heytesbury Rebels by 84 runs at Timboon.
Henry Green was the star, making 77 and taking 3-8 as the Pelicans made 9-181 and dismissed the Rebels for 97.
Captain Fraser Lucas, who made 20 and took 3-15, was also important in the win, which lifted the side to fourth.
Noorat bounced back from defeat to thrash Boorcan by 137 runs at Boorcan and hold on to second spot on the ladder.
Noorat captain Wil Pomorin top scored with 44 as his side posted a modest 186.
But Warren Attrill ensured the points with 5-20 from nine overs as Boorcan crashed to be all out for 49 before drinks.
And Terang kept in touch with the top four thanks to a four-wicket win against Simpson at Terang.
An unbeaten half-century from Hamish Brucker, 57 not out, helped the Bloods to 8-185 in reply to the Tigers’ 146.
Bloods captain Ben Grinter was the best with the ball, taking 4-26 to ensure the run chase was never beyond his side.