Local cricket reports, Round 6

Nathan Triffitt took six wickets for Molesworth II on Sunday.

Southern Cricket Association 
Men’s 50-over matches
Round 6

FIRST GRADE: In a close encounter at Abbotsfield Park, New Norfolk I continued on its winning way with a two-run victory over Claremont. In a reduced 29 over match, the home side won the toss and sent the Red Caps in to bat, for the modest total of 8/165. In reply - and coming down to the last over - Claremont almost pulled it off, finishing 7/163 off the 29 overs. Opening bowler Jason Rigby bowled with success taking 3-29 off six overs. Jordan Banks-Smith took 2-40 (6) and Thomas Briscoe 1-23 (6). Earlier with the bat, Jordan Banks-Smith held the innings together with a good 41 from 56 deliveries and put on 47 with number eight Cody Neads who made a very handy 30 from 26 deliveries and striking four 4s. In a great little cameo, Jason Rigby made 20 not out from just nine balls. Opener Aaron Drew made 20 from 16. New Norfolk has now won its last three matches and five from their six played so far.

SECOND GRADE: In the cross-town match at Tynwald Park, Molesworth I defeated New Norfolk II by five wickets. Winning the toss and electing to bat, the home side won the toss and made the good score of 9/227 from its 50 overs. In the run chase, Molesworth reached the target with 14 balls remaining, finishing 5/230 off 47.4 overs. Brad Coppleman made a very good 75 from 69 balls, hitting five 4s and five 6s and put on a 117-run stand with opener Brayden Hodge who did well himself making 65 which included 10 well-struck fours. Other opener Daniel Coppleman made 49 (62) with six 4s and two 6s and put on 77 with Hodge. Wicket-takers for the Red Caps were Nathan Rice 2-41 (10) and Josh Walsh 2-27 (9) both with two maidens. Earlier with the bat for New Norfolk, Nathan Rice had a good day top-scoring with 66, hitting five 4s and two 6s. In his second hit for his new club, Mitch Crosswell made a half-century of 51 from 50 deliveries, hitting three 4s and three 6s. Crosswell and Rice put in a great partnership of 97. Leigh Berry made 36. With the ball for the visitors, all-rounder Brad Coppleman had a good day out taking 4-25 from his 10 overs. Brad Ransley took 2-47 (10). Molesworth now has four wins from its six matches.

In a reduced 45-over match due to rain, Gretna I made it four wins in a row with a big nine-wicket win over St Anne's at Cadbury Oval No.1. Playing one short, the Crows won the toss and elected to bat and were bowled out for 79 off 27.4 overs. In reply, Gretna got the job done easily, chasing down the small target and finishing 1/81 off 15.5 overs. After bowling well, opener and captain Ben Rainbird top-scored with a well-made 52 from 61 deliveries. Rainbird hit five 4s and one 6 during his 58-run stand with Todd a Jarvis who made 15no. Earlier with the ball, paceman and opener Corey Ransley took 3-33 from his 10 overs with two maidens. As mentioned, Ben Rainbird bowled well taking 2-4 from four overs with two maidens. Mathew Burns 1-28 (8) and Craig Cunningham 1-10 from 5.4 overs. There was one run-out by Zac Crosswell. Congratulations to Mathew Burns on playing his 300th match for Gretna I.

FOURTH GRADE: In a dominant display at the Bothwell Recreation Ground, Bothwell I gave Richmond/Cambridge a cricket lesson they would prefer to forget. After being sent into bat and making 7/202 from its 50 overs, Bothwell then went about destroying the visitors batting lineup, bowling them out for the paltry total of 26. Bucks bowlers captain Cody Eyles and Brock Nichols took wickets at will and with the first five down there were just 12 runs on the board. Nichols - who took a hat-trick in Round Three - just missed another in this match and finished with the excellent figures of 5-12 from nine overs with three maidens. Nichols best this season was 5-19 and now has 13 wickets from six matches. Partner-in-crime Cody Eyles was just as good, sending down 9.2 overs taking four for just 14 with two maidens in a great spell. The visitors finished 10/26 off 18.2 overs with one run-out. Earlier with the bat, the Bucks batsmen did well, with Adam Clark at number five making 63 with three fours, while opener Joey Eyles made a good 59 with nine very good 4s. Eyles and Clark put together a solid 91 run stand while wicket-machine Brock Nichols made 19no from 15 deliveries.

Jacob Blackwell played well in his first
senior match with Gretna.

FIFTH GRADE: Gretna II made it three wins from its six matches when it defeated Montagu Bay by 37 runs at Cambridge Oval on Saturday. Winning the toss and batting, Gretna posted the good total of 7/220 from its 50 overs. Jake Campbell had a good match and made a very patient 46 with four 4s. Campbell put on 55 with captain Ross Langford who made 32 from 37 deliveries with seven 4s. Zac Wheeler showed great signs with 27 from 38 with four 4s. Glenn Blackwell in his first match for the season made a good 22 from 17 with two 4s and one 6. Opener Adam Browning made 15. Bailey Wheeler was 15no as was Andrew McKenzie with a very good 6. In reply, the Sharks kept themselves in the game, but then the Gretna bowlers got on top at the end and Gretna got the victory. Opening bowler Adam Browning performed consistently for his full 10 overs, taking 1-15 with three maidens as did Josh Whitford with 1-32 (10). Jake Campbell was good at the end with 2-19 (5) while Bailey Wheeler took 2-54 (10). A funny moment occurred during the Sharks' innings when the ball was thrown in from the boundary and was going for an overthrow and the umpire stuck his hand out and fielded the ball. I guess he thought he was 12th man. A special feature of this match was the debut of 15-year-old Jacob Blackwell in his first senior match for Gretna and he did it alongside his Dad and life member Glenn Blackwell (374 matches). Jacob is the 316th player since 1977/78 and bowling his spinners he did very well with 0-36 (10). Well done cobber.

In the other Fifth Grade match, New Norfolk III went down to Rokeby by 39 runs at North Warrane Oval. Winning the toss and batting first, Rokeby posted the good score of 7/233 from its 50 overs. In reply, the Red Caps were going well at 3/108 but then lost regular wickets and finished 8/194 from their 50 overs. Top-scoring was young Jack Morgan-Miller with a fine 53 from 65 deliveries, hitting two 4s and two 6s. Former Bushy Park player Geoff Crosswell did well in his first match, making 40 and putting on 78 with Jordon Gittus who made 35 from 51 with three 4s. Captain Nathan Heron made 27 (34) with three 4s and one 6. Earlier with the ball, Geoff Crosswell has a great game, taking 2-27 from his 10 overs. Nathan Heron 2-39 (10) and Jordan Gittus 2-47 (8).

SEVENTH GRADE: Playing at home, Bothwell II went down to Derwent by 100 runs. Batting first, the visitors made 10/195 from 39.2 overs. Captain Peter Hansch led from the front with excellent figures of 5-20 off five overs in a great spell. Andrew Rolls bowled tightly taking 1-15 (6). In reply, the Bucks were bowled out for 95 from 27.5 overs. Bo Kline top-scored with 25 (38) including two 4s. Ashley Browning made 19 (36) including two fours, and Adam Pearce 18 (35) two fours. Keeper Dylan Branch made 11 (12) including two fours.

Molesworth II went down to Wellington by the big margin of 197 runs at Collinsvale Oval on Sunday. Batting first, Wellington made the good score of 10/235 off 38.2 overs. Doing the job for Molesworth with the ball was Nathan Triffett who in a lone hand sent down 7.2 overs to capture the big haul of 6-32. Triffitt’s spell was a real credit considering he didn’t come on to bowl until after six bowlers had already been tried. Young Nick Ransley took his first wicket for the season, taking 2-40 off six overs. Daniel Williams took 1-19 (4) and opener Shayne Upton 1-63 (6). In reply, Molesworth finished all out for just 38 off 11.4 overs. Opener Josh Nichols was the only batsman to reach double figures with 20. There were five ducks.

Jordan Hastie left and Wade Gleeson took care of the scoring
duties for Gretna II during their match against Montagu Bay.

NEXT GAMES
Men’s Round 7
All matches start at 10.30am

FIRST GRADE
Saturday: New Norfolk I v Wellington at Tynwald Park.

SECOND GRADE
Saturday: Gretna I v Derwent at North Warrane Oval; Molesworth I v Knights at Boyer Oval; New Norfolk II v Richmond/Cambridge at Richmond Oval.

FOURTH GRADE
Saturday: Bothwell I v St Virgil’s at Bothwell.

FIFTH GRADE
Sunday: Gretna II v Claremont at Gretna; New Norfolk III v Montagu Bay at Tynwald Park.

SEVENTH GRADE
Sunday: Molesworth II v  Bothwell II at Boyer Oval.