Southern cricket - Round 10

Southern Cricket Association
Round 10

First Grade
New Norfolk I kept its winning run in First Grade intact with a close victory over fourth placed St Aidans at Cambridge. Batting first, the Red Caps made the good score of 5-252 off 50 overs. Openers Harry Booth with 30 (two fours, one six) and Adam McKeown with 21 (two fours) got their team off to a great start, putting on 56 together. Then Matthew Bowden with 81 (four fours, two sixes) and Seb Wishart with 51 (two fours) continued the good work, setting up the innings with an excellent partnership of 123. In reply St Aidans gave it a good crack only to fall just short, all out for 238 off 39.2 overs. The New Norfolk bowlers stuck to the task and it paid off. Joe McCulloch with 3-41 (7.2), Josh Rowlands with 3-50 (6) and Ben Smith with 3-51 were the main wicket takers.

Second Grade 
Molesworth I had a good 46-run win over Wellington at Boyer Oval on Saturday. Batting first, the home side got 9-154 off its 50 overs. In reply, Wellington was dismissed for 148 off 42.5 overs. Brad Coppleman was again the top scorer for Molesworth with 40, hitting three fours and two sixes. Brother Daniel Coppleman made 33 (four fours). Opening the batting, Daniel Adams made 28 (four fours). Jayden Wilton got a handy 26, hitting two fours and two sixes. Wilton and Daniel Coppleman put on a 64-run partnership. With the ball for Molesworth, opener Jeremy Nichols bowled well to take 3-16 from 6.5 overs with two maidens. Brad Coppleman had a good day, taking 3-36 off his 10 overs, while young Blayne King got 2-27 from eight overs in his first Second Grade match.

Gretna I suffered a five wicket loss to Rokeby at Gretna in the other Second Grade match. Batting first, the home team got off to a good start. Openers Glenn Blackwell with 44 (eight fours) and Ben Rainbird with 11 were crushing it at 0-59. Then the wheels fell off all at once in one of the biggest collapses of the season, with the team losing all 10 wickets for just 14 runs, finishing with a lowly total of 73. Rokeby bowler and former Adelaide Crows footballer Ian Callinan finished with the incredible figures of 5-7 off 7.3 overs (three maidens). In reply Rokeby got the runs, finishing 5-77 off 18.1 overs. Of the Gretna bowlers, opener Mathew Burns bowled well, taking 3-27 (9).

Third Grade
New Norfolk II had an excellent win, defeating top-placed Marquis Tigers at Tynwald Park by 45 runs. The Red Caps won the toss and elected to bat, and were all out for 184 from 49.5 overs. In reply the Tigers were bowled out after 44.2 overs for 139. The New Norfolk opening pair of Blake Kemmler and Stewart Rice put on a 88-run stand. Kemmler got 29 (three fours) and Rice made a good 65 from 70 balls, including six fours and four sixes. With the ball, Jamie Hill sent down 6.2 overs capturing 4-19 in a very good show. Veteran Graeme Rowlands got 3-29 from seven overs.

Playing at home, Gretna II went down to the Weily Park Rockers by three wickets. Batting first, Gretna got 9-177 from 50 overs. Matthew Coulson made his highest score of 71, which included nine fours. In reply, the Rockers lost early wickets but then put on a partnership of 114 to set the win up, finishing 7-178 from 37.5 overs. For the Gretna bowlers, captain Adam Browning led the way with 3-29 (7) and Josh Whitford-Marriott got 2-36 (8).

Fourth Grade
Bothwell kept its winning run over Bagdad this season with a good five-wicket win at Bothwell on Sunday - and in doing so took top spot from Bagdad on the ladder. Winning the toss and batting, Bagdad were bowled out for the low score of 115 from 31.3 overs. In reply, Bothwell reached the target, finishing 5-117 from 22.2 overs. At No. 5, Kelvin Eyles kept the innings together during the run chase with a well-made 43no, including six well-struck fours. With the ball for the Bucks, all five bowlers took two wickets each. Josh Eyles was tidy with 2-17 (6), as was Nathan Eyles with 2-18 (5), Matthew Eyles with 2-19 (4.3), Brock Nichols with 2-20 (6) - including two maidens - and Nathan White with 2-34 (10).

Bushy Park got back on the winners’ list with a 45-run win over St Aidans at the Bushy Park Showground in the other Fourth Grade match. After being sent in to bat, Bushy Park was all out for 158 from 26.2 overs. In reply, the visitors were bowled out for 113 off 35.2 overs. No other details were available at the time of writing.

Seventh Grade
A close match had a confused ending as cross-town rivals Molesworth II took on New Norfolk III at Boyer Oval. The home team won the toss and sent New Norfolk in to bat to be all out for 163 off 46.3 overs. Molesworth got the runs with just three balls to spare - but after the players shook hands it was pointed out the scoreboard and scorebooks were incorrect and Molesworth needed three more runs from three balls with three wickets in hand. I’m told the scorebooks hadn’t been signed off at that stage. Some New Norfolk players had left but then returned - but play didn’t resume and I hear a result hasn’t been confirmed . I understand the association is looking into the match. As the score reads now, Molesworth finished 7-164 from 49.3 overs. For the Red Caps, Stuart Muir at No. 9 top scored with 30no, hitting three fours and two sixes. For the Molesworth bowlers it was Larry Menzie who did the damage, sending down 9.3 overs to capture 4-24 with two maidens. Captain and opening bowler Jack Evans finished with the impressive figures of 1-10 off 10 overs with four maidens. With the bat for Molesworth in the run chase, it was Liam Triffitt who did the hard work, getting a fine 50 not out. Jack Evans also had a good day with 35, including five fours. Of the Red Caps’ bowlers, Liam Kalbfell took 3-27 from eight overs, while David Mitchelmore got 2-6 (3). With the match ending in a scorebook error, let’s hope the association can sort it out quickly.

Eighth Grade
Bothwell had a big 136-run win over Montagu Bay at home on Saturday. Batting first, the home team hit up the good score of 5-205 off 50 overs. Young Brodie White made a very good 54no, which included six fours, and Brad Eyles got 50no with a game-high nine fours. Together the pair put on an unbeaten 98-run partnership. With the ball, it was Peter Hansch who did all the damage, bowling superbly to finish with the excellent figures of 6-17 off 7.3 overs, including four maidens. Opener Blake Eyles was tight, taking 1-11 from five overs, Mark Pearce got 1-26 (8), and Anthony White capped off a very good day with 1-1 from two overs.