Great weather for Cricket in Dunedin – blue skies and very warm, just a pity 2 out of the 3 results did not go our way!
The Bottle-O Eagles continued the declaration round with a match against University-Grange on Tonga No 1 – the first game played on No 1 for nearly two seasons. With skipper Taylor Cumberland still not ready for cricket Assistant Coach Kurt Johnston again led the lads. On what was a pretty green and soft looking track the toss was lost and we found ourselves batting. After three overs we had fallen to 4/1. This had Luke Marsh and Jack Soal trying to rebuild – survival was the first step and the lads put their heads down and managed to bat thru to the 17th over when Luke was caught for 24 and the score was still only 30/5 and next ball 30/6. Tommy Clout came to the wicket and decided to swing hard and managed 18 off jut 12 balls before he was caught in the deep. Jack Soal was finally out for 10 after facing 70 balls and the team was dismissed for only 70 in the 25th over.
Tommy and Dylan Flether took the new ball and both struck in their second overs to have UG 4/2. Both Tommy & Dylan keep charging in and where further rewarded as another three wickets fell in quick time to have UG 26/5 and then when Luke took a great catch close in under the helmet from Larry Vimukthi’s 1st ball UG sat at 36/6 and the Eagles were back in the match! Unfortunately, a dropped catch, a plumb LBW and a run out did not go our way as UG slowly eased themselves to the win in the 24th over.
Whilst I am sure the Eagles do not state this as an excuse, it is interesting to note the ages of the top 6 batsmen for the team are – 20, 19, 17, 16, 18 & 18 – surely the youngest Top 6 in the competition!
Nex door on Tonga No 2 the Turkeys played NEV Cygnets in what was Nathan Sims 300th game for the Club – an amazing achievement from Nathan over a long period. Also, with regular skipper Richie Buchanan working Ollie Ritchie took the regains and after winning the toss decided the Turkeys would have a bowl. Oliver Garden and Luke Ritchie took the new ball and Valley got off to a flyer as they reached 49 in the 7th over when Ollie took two wickets with consecutive deliveries to finish the over – he followed this up with his first ball of his next over when Gerry Finnie took the catch to complete the hat-trick to leave Valley at 50/3. Valley kept the scoring going at a steady pace as Ollie Ritchie came into the attack and bowled 9 really good overs to finish with 3/23. Oliver also finished his spell of 9 overs finishing with 3/43as Valley reached 212/8 of their 45 overs.
The Turkeys lost an early wicket before Cam Harris and Nathan tried to get things going and Nathan was scoring quickly as he reached 21 off just 12 balls before he was dismissed with the score at 48 – Cam followed without the score advancing for 19 (off 23 balls). This had Ollie at the wicket with young Jonnies player Lachlan Macauley and whilst Lachlan defended Ollie keep the score moving until Lachlan was out which had the turkeys at 87/4. Ollie kept playing nicely but with the score at 112 was out for 41 (off 45 balls). Unfortunately, the remainder of the Turkeys batsmen fell away quickly and the Turkeys were dismissed for 118 and a solid win for NEV.
Meanwhile the Kilda finally had a home game at Culling Park, their previous home game being way back on 30 November last year! After winning the toss skipper Scotty McCormack decided to have a bowl against the GI Gators and had an early wicket when Dan Duke bowled one of the openers with the score at 3. GI then put together a good partnership which took the score to 91 when the skipper got an LBW decision go his way. GI keep the scoring going and reached 210 when Chris Morris took a catch off Craig Dougherty to have the team’s 3rd wicket in the 37th over. GI keep charging but wicket fell with this as they reached 231/7 when Mark Somerville secured a run out off the last ball. Craig ended up with 2/37 off his 8 and Dan the impressive figure off 1/5 off 5.
In reply Chris and Dan opened up and moved the score to 41 when Dan was out for 22. With the score at 68 Chris was also gone for 27. This had Kirk Brocklebank and Mark Somerville at the crease and together they batted strongly as they advanced to score to 145 in the 25th over when Mark was out for 35 (off 33 balls) leaving the Kilda with 80 odd to get at a run a ball. Kirk kept the scoreboard moving at close to the required rate but wickets kept falling at the other end and when Scotty was out with 16 balls remaining the Kilda was 8 down and still needed 11 runs. Veteran Darryl Stringer, know a specialist lower order batsman strode to the wicket and defended his first 2 deliveries before making a single and Kirk duly put the last ball of the 38th over away to the boundary. Daz kept things interesting as he defended the first three balls of the penultimate over before a single was scored. Kirk then took a single of the last ball so he would face the final over with four still required. This was not an issue as Kirk hit the first ball to the boundary to secure a good victory – Kirk was super impressive ending up on 95* off just 87 balls.