The Bottle-O Eagles re-started the season with a declaration match against CDK at Tonga Park on Saturday.
Stand-in skipper Kurt Johnston lost the toss and the Eagles found themselves having a bat. Openers Dylan Fletcher & Louis Garden went out with the instruction to bat time and play themselves in. Both achieved this as the Eagles moved to 41 in the 10th over when Dylan was out for 21. Unfortunately, only 5 runs later Louis followed him back to the pavilion for 23. Another wicket has the Eagles at 62/3 after 16overs. Connor Macleod had come to the crease and really got the scoreboard moving hitting four 6’s on his way to 35 off just 21 balls. When then lost a further wicket to be sitting in a tricky spot at 101/5. However, a game changing partnership of exactly 100 between Tommy Clout and Kurt took the score to 201 when Kurt was out for a patient 35. Tommy was dismissed on the same score for a better than a run a ball 60. As the skipper considered a declaration the remaining players were asked to score quickly with a quick 14 from Ollie Ritchie, but the remainder of the lower order went quickly as they chased runs and the Eagles were dismissed for 226 in the 51st over. A more than satisfactory total on a reasonable tough track.
Tommy and Patrick Arnold took the new ball and after 5 overs CDK were in tatters as Patrick claimed 3 and Tommy 2 and CDK sat at 20/5. CDK then steadied and a 58 run partnership followed before Ollie Ritchie took the first of his three wickets. CDK then moved their score to 123 when Patrick returned to claim his 4th wicket. Tommy chipped in with his third and CDK found themselves all out for 138 in the 33rd over. Patrick finishing with the impressive figures of 4/24 off 6, Ollie 3/20 of 8.4 overs and Tommy 3/40 off 9 overs. A very good way to re-start the season after Christmas. But on the down side James Brown re-tore his hamstring and that is likely to be the end of his season – a huge blow for the Eagles.
The Turkeys re-start their season with a T20 match on Thursday at the oval and then two more T2-0’s on Saturday. Meanwhile the Kilda re-start on Saturday with two T20’s out at Sunnyvale.