Tasmania University Cricket Club
Scores and Reports
Season 2003/04
First Grade
Round 6 v. New Town
Played at New Town Oval, 6th./13th. December 2003.
(Toss won by : New Town)
Ben Hilfenhaus 4-63 Brad Thomas 2-15 Graeme Cunningham 2-19 and Ben Hilfenhaus 4-46 Josh Bean 2-51 |
Rhett Lockyear 27 Brad Thomas 21 and Nathan King 47 Brad Thomas 43* |
(DAY 1). After a disappointing loss to Lindisfarne last week, our 1st XI were eager to get back on the winning list and ensure a spot at the more desirable end of the competition points table. Our hosts for this game are New Town, who are again struggling this season with lack of depth and inconsistent performances. Despite players arriving in drips and drabs, the Lions warm-up was enthusiastic. A warm welcome was given to 1st Grade debutant, Michael Hollingsworth, who has been busy giving opposition bowlers plenty of grief in the scoobies. Despite a little concern about the pitch being a bit spongy, BT said if the toss was won we would bat. Straight away everyone was pumping up each other's tyres and talking about batting all day and posting a record 1st grade total. When we lost the toss and were asked to bowl, attitudes within the side swung immediately. It was now a great toss to lose and we were going to roll the Bucks for less than a hundred. Things could not have begun in a better fashion, as both BT and the Haus claimed important early wickets. The sponginess of the pitch proved influential straight away, with one of BT's wickets due to an almost total lack of bounce. The Uni boys had gone into the match with a slightly depleted bowling attack: Special K and Gordo unavailable. Part-time seamers, Lockdog and Richie, keenly rose to the challenge. Lockers delivered in his first over and Richie was difficult to handle at the other end. At lunch, the Lions were at the wheel - the Townies struggling with 5/80 (or thereabouts) on the board. After lunch, Beanos gave us perhaps his best spell of bowling so far this season. He built pressure and brought about the demise of opposition leg spinner, Ben Evans. At this point, New Town's tail end started to build some sort of a comeback. Despite the return of the Haus and Richie, who ended with 4/63 and 2/19 respectively, the Bucks ended up with a defendable total of 186. Perhaps a disappointing result, due mainly to dropped catches. The Uni boys' response started promisingly, with Kingy confidently scoring off the first ball. Only a few balls later, however, the Bucks struck - King out for 1. This saw our star import, the Lockdog stride to the crease. He looked at ease right from the start and rapidly moved to double figures. After playing a couple of textbook cover drives and hitting a heart stopping six over point (that's right over point), Lockers was disappointingly stumped while on 27. The score was now roughly 3/50 with both openers and Lockdog in the pavilion. Richie again looked solid early but soon departed. The two young guns, Jacko and Scooter established the foundations of a partnership but unfortunately both fell close together with the score just over 70. Debutant Hollingsworth was out soon after for a bird of some description (know how you feel mate!) and all of a sudden Uni had gone from being under moderate pressure to somewhere in dire straits. Without a paddle. When 4 wickets had fallen, only distant car alarms were sounding and Kingo Jnr. decided it was a perfect time for a meat pie. Bad idea tiger! In the time it takes to say, "Crickey, what was that!" he'd exchanged the sauce bottle with a cricket bat and was facing an angry bloke with the unusual name of Smith. Much to Kingo's relief there were only 3 overs left and fortunately no more wickets fell. BT and those remaining are hopeful of making a fighting comeback next week. Highlights for the day were, Hilfy's bowling performance (again), Lockdog's sizzling six, Mr. Bean's love stories and Richie's rendition of Godfather Part I. (DAY 2). With only 3 wickets in hand and just over 100 hundred runs still to get, the Uni boys were looking down the barrel at a second loss in a row. BT decided our best approach was to go out looking and feeling positive. We had to back ourselves to win outright. Our aim was to knock off as many runs as we could without wasting too much time. As it turned out, we managed to successfully do the latter, if anything. BT quickly saw us move past the follow-on stage and into triple figures, however within the space of 5 balls New Town smothered any chance of a miraculous comeback. First went BT, then Hilfy and lastly Kingo Jnr. - all bowled. With only half an hour used up, the chances of an outright were slim but present and the Lions took to the field once again. Hilfy kept both opening bastmen honest and it wasn't too long before the first wicket fell. This brought Tassie all rounder Scott Kremerskothen to the crease. The tall left hander looked comfortable right from the start, and the Uni boys knew they would have to pounce on the tiniest chance. A bit of partnership now began to take shape. This however, was put to rest when Lockyear brilliantly caught Stockdale at second slip. An important wicket. Heath Barwin, a man not known within the competition's ranks for his fielding (yet), gave us what we needed most not long after. A full length dive and a direct hit from square leg turned a seemingly comfortable single into a sensational runout - Keeling not even able to make it half way down the pitch! Nice one Bars! To keep things rolling, a massive bowling effort was needed and BT turned to senior spinner, Beanos. Straight away things started to happen for us. To say Kremer's looked uncomfortable would be an understatement and a leading edge almost had him C & B. An equally cautious Sheppard lasted all of two balls before he was caught at short leg. Could Beanos be the man to bring us back from the brink?? Despite our bowlers putting the ball in good areas as usual, a partnership formed between Kremers and Roussow. They managed to put on 50 before Hilfy trapped the state rep LBW. Not long after, a horrible mix-up between Roussow and Nosworthy saw the latter on his way. Roussow followed a few balls later - another scalp to Hilfy. The score now 7/131. The Lions needed to clean up quickly so enough time was left to chase. Lockyear was reintroduced and struck. Beano's was also rewarded with a well-earned second wicket, but the Bucks clawed their way to a total of 164, using up precious time getting there. Uni were set the almost impossible task of scoring 249 in 35 overs. Seven an over was a massive ask but the Lions weren't going down without a fight. Cunners got off the mark positively but soon fell to Smith. Kingy kept the run rate up with some powerful yet selective hitting and Lockers was grace personified at the other end. Once again, however, Rhett's innings fell in a heap, thanks to an awkward delivery from Vinnie Kay. Despite some fine strokeplay from BT, our allocation of overs ran out and we finished at 5/133. Two losses in two games mean our 1st XI has dropped a couple of spots on the competition ladder. However, it is still early in the season and a one day game at home against a wayward South Hobart/Sandy Bay side this weekend will be the perfect opportunity to get back on the winning list. |
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