Round 14 - 6th/7th
February 2010
After
an extended summer hibernation the Bunyip has awoken to again
report on the exploits of the Longley Cricket Club. Round 14 saw
the Bunyips fielding four sides and coming away with two wins and
two losses.
Our
A grade boys travelled to Snug and were keen to get a win against
a side in a similar position on the ladder, both with two wins and
out of the finals race but still still keen to win a game or two
before the roster ends. Batting first Snug lost wickets regularly
and posted a very gettable 129. All bowlers enjoyed some success
in the wickets column and bowled economically, with Trent Direen
(3-11) Chris Machin (2-23) and Ryan Fielding (2-23) being the
multiple wicket takers.
With
the job half completed, our batting line set about chasing the
target. Starting disastrously two wickets were lost off the second
and third balls of the innings and at two wickets for no runs, it
suddenly made the total seem much larger. At 3 down with only 10
runs on the board, Snug were well and truly in the match and the
game hung in the balance for the remainder of the innings. With a
couple of partnerships of twenty or thirty our middle order worked
hard and reached the target in the 47th over with two wickets in
hand. Trent Direen (41) batted very well for a likely best on
ground performance, with Matthew Taylor (22) also contributing.
Under
picture perfect blue skies our B1 team travelled to Cygnet for
what was expected to be a very tough game against a strong Slab
Road, sitting second on the ladder. Winning the toss the Bunyips
chose to bat first. A very shaky start and regular wickets
threatened a score below 100. Dean Chatwin (30) batted well early
in the innings but could find no willing partners to stick around
with him. At the loss of Chatwin the score was 7-88. Brian
Womersley (42) and Andrew Kibbey (18) then combined for a match
high partnership of 54 that put some respectability into the
innings and set a reasonable target for Slab Road to chase. With
only 153 on the board from their 50 overs with 9 wickets down,
Slab were no doubt looking to chase it down in the first 20 overs
and set about the chase in that manner.
At
0-41 after six overs they were certainly making their intentions
clear. After bowling well early on but targeted by aggressive
batting, Damien Smith (4-39) then changed the course of the match
with three wickets in one over and at one point being on a hat
trick. With number six and seven batsmen suddenly having to get
their pads on it was clear from that point on that none of the
Slab Rd lower order batsmen really expected to be required chasing
the runs and they could not get the innings back on track. The run
scoring rate slowed to a crawl and the Slab Road batsmen were
starting to believe what the Bunyips believed and weren’t being
shy talking about it - the Bunyips were on top and on track for a
rare win against the Roadies at their own home ground. With Jesse
Arnold (1-34) bowling aggressive pace, Oliver Hippel (0-18)
bowling inswing that couldn’t be hit off the square, Brian
Womersley (3-25) bowling legspin with a swollen hand but landing
them beautifully regardless, and Andrew Fitzgerald (2-12) bowling
perfect line and length outswing and beating the bat regularly,
there was no relief from the well balanced and varied bowling
attack. The Roadies were bowled out for 129 and the Bunyips
celebrated a hard fought win which consolidates our position
in the top four and eyeing off finals for the fourth year
straight. With the side to be further strengthened with players
returning from injury and unavailability, we are looking to be a
force to reckon with come the pointy end of the season. With good
bowling options, it will be important to improve in the batting
department if we are to challenge for the B1 flag.
Our
B2 side hosted Kettering and made a promising start to the match,
winning the toss and racing away to 1-82 after 12 overs with
openers James Skabo (60) and Sam Harris (33) firing well. However,
as has been too often the case, the remaining batsmen could not
consolidate on that good start failing to bat out the 50 overs and
with only Euan Rodgers (25), batting through 19 overs, showing
much resistance. With 187 runs to defend the Bunyips were at least
70 runs shorts of what the would have expected given the good
start. Kettering had a slight hiccup early, losing a wicket
without a run scored and then a second with 11 runs on the board.
They then batted steadily forming a couple of good partnerships
and reached the target for the loss of six wickets in the 42nd
over. Mark Millhouse (1-24) bowled ten tidy overs and Michael
Tolman (3-49) again showed he is an improving legspinner with
promise.
On
Sunday C grade travelled to Huonville looking to consolidate their
spot in the top four. The Bunyips won the toss and started
disastrously. At 3-7 it was not looking good, and it did not
improve much from that point on. Apart from Christo Le Grange,
fresh off an overseas flight home and who scored 61 out of the 80
runs scored off the bat, no batsman could manage better than 6.
With Sundries chipping in a handy 31,a total of 111 was on the
board and it was going to take a big effort in the field to come
away with an unlikely win. Dropped catches from almost all in the
side was no help to the cause and Huonville achieved a comfortable
win in the 27th over with 7 wickets in hand.
|
