ADCA 2024-25: Mt Barker captain Jeremy Wood lauds Alex Fergie ton in thumping win over Collingwood Park

Mt Barker captain Jeremy Wood believes his side’s consummate run-chase, spearheaded by a century from Alex Fergie in their resounding nine-wicket victory on Saturday, is a sign of the times. Fergie produced a batting masterclass, carrying the bat for a marvellous century and charging the Bulls to a dominant bonus point win over a spirited Collingwood Park at Turf North. He belted 13 fours and one six in his superb unbeaten innings of 110 from just 117 balls, becoming the first centurion of the 2024-25 Albany and Districts Cricket Association A-grade season. The Bulls forged a perfected run-chase to reel in Park’s respectable total of 6-197 with more than 10 overs to spare, with fellow experienced campaigner Neil Ferreira anchoring the innings with 60 not out from 63 balls. “Fergie batted really well and set the tone early and it was chance-less inning,” Wood said. “Happy with the team performance and fielding-wise we were good and to chase it one down is always good. They lost young opener Max Osborne for 10 in the 11th over to Ben Grey but showed no signs of faltering as their reliable duo ate into the target with ease. Ferreria, who has scored 125 runs while only being dismissed once through the opening three games, smacked seven fours in his stellar knock. Wood believed that with the addition of the white ball this season, his side is learning that scoreboard pressure is becoming increasingly vital. “It’s obviously different cricket and we’re just trying to understand the middle period when you’re batting, you’re going to have to learn to chase big totals,” he said. “And then when you’re batting first, you got to be ruthless and set a really good target, because I think there’s going to be some high scores that get chased down this year. “Banking early wins in the season is key to obviously making finals in the back end — you don’t want to be chasing your tail. “When you get to the end of the year and trying to get wins and then you trip over, it makes it pretty difficult.” Park won the toss and elected to bat on a lush yet batter-friendly wicket and weathered a barraging storm of Bulls’ ferocious pace attack before some late hitting helped them get close to the 200-run mark. Despite Bulls skipper Jeremy Wood snaring Park opener Jarrod Hansen (four) early, promising youngster O’Shea Durack continued to chip away with smart stroke play to keep his side’s score ticking over. Durack, who chiselled a crafty 52 runs from 73 balls including five boundaries, witnessed Leroy van den Dool (14) and Jed Schwarzbach (seven) come and go as Park, who were chasing their first win of the season, fell to 3-74. Englishmen Freddie Sharp (21 runs) consolidated with Durack, before young leg-spinner Max Osborne manufactured an opportune run-out of his bowling to send the milestone man walking. Dylan Solomon (48) and Buddy Robinson (33 not out) combined for a crucial seventh-wicket stand worth 78 runs, as Park batted out their overs. Wood was the pick of the bowlers with 2-36 from nine overs while Jonte Eastough (1-23) and Seth Davis (1-15) also played key hands with the ball for the Bulls.