Richard Oliver celebrated his 25th birthday by leading Geelong City to a comfortable seven wicket win over visiting Newtown and Chilwell on the second day of the Geelong Cricket Association Division One clash at the Richmond Crescent Oval.
The Worcestershire opener scored 68 as Geelong chased down the 191-7 total posted by Newtown on the opening day last weekend.
Skipper Oliver had predicted a Geelong win if the new ball could be overcome and he and fellow opener S. Herbison (23) shared in a stand of 76.
There was a minor hiccup when Oliver became the second of two dismissals with the score on 101.
But that was Geelong's last setback as J. Driver (31) and A. Pitts (54) shared an unbroken stand of 91 and completed the task in 51.3 overs.
Jack Shantry produced a typically effective performance with the ball but his side Greenvale Kangaroos will face a challenging second day in their Victorian Premier Cricket Bartercard Men's Premier Firsts home clash with Northcote.
Worcestershire paceman Shantry removed opener L. Hassett (3) and S. Taylor (0) with the total on five in his first spell after Northcote had elected to bat.
He then returned to break up a ninth wicket stand of 70 by dismissing number 10 C. Keogh for 54 as Northcote were dismissed for 261 in 92.2 overs.
Shantry finished with figures of 3-35 from 22 overs, including eight maidens, and his county team-mate Ben Cox held onto two catches.
The Kangaroos reached 16-1 off seven overs by the close.
