WHEN the heat is turned up on Woodford’s players the strong bond of the team is what helps keep the Eels cool.
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That is what young all-rounder Alex Jennings believes is the key to Woodford’s two close victories in the opening two twenty20 games of the 2018-19 Warrnambool and District Cricket Association season.
The Eels set West Warrnambool 96 after they were bowled all out. It took right until the last ball, with the Panthers needing two runs to claim victory, to hold firm at Koroit on Saturday.
But Jennings, who was pivotal with ball to claim 3-19 in the two-run victory, said the Eels weren’t flustered by the situation.
“We were still laughing in that last over but we were still concentrating every ball” the 18-year-old said.
“It’s a good vibe out there and Nick (Butters) is a good captain. It takes the pressure off because we are call good mates.”
“It was pretty nerve wrecking the last over but it was good to get over the line.
“Luke Wines did pretty well and we needed someone to get on and make a big score but we knew it (the score) was still defendable.”
Jennings said the Eels were preparing to have a tilt at the Sungold Cup, where Woodford last won the annual inter-association tournament in 2013.
“We are only a game out of the five,” he said of the Eels spot in the WDCA ladder.
“If we can continue to win these twenty20s hopefully make the final it will be really good for the club.
“The club won the Sungold Cup a few years ago and we are aiming to do that again this year.”
Jennings, who is preparing to begin a traineeship at Our Lady Help of Christians Primary School after finishing high school this year, said a weight was off his shoulder and he could continue to train and improve.
“I’m trying to restrict the wides that I bowl, as I had two today, and try to get it down to zero,” the third-year division one player said.
“I also need to make a few more runs with the bat as I would like to think of myself as an all-rounder but need to chip in a bit more with the bat.
“If I keep hitting more balls and I have been training a fair bit but I need to keep working on things.”
Sean Hardeman
I'm a sports journalist for the Warrnambool Standard who covers a number of different sports across the south-west of Victoria. I enjoy watching cycling, surfing, football, soccer and Formula 1.
I'm a sports journalist for the Warrnambool Standard who covers a number of different sports across the south-west of Victoria. I enjoy watching cycling, surfing, football, soccer and Formula 1.
