WITH a loss to start the season and a bye to follow, North’s B grade side were looking to get a win against Central, but were made fight all the way for a one-wicket win in their Barrier District Cricket League Round 3 encounter.
Central got off to a steady start, as Leigh Sultana and Hamish Curtis were able to get through some tight bowling from Kieran McEvoy and Ben Victory.
McEvoy was able to break through, as Curtis on six was well held at mid on by Troy Day. Central stood at 1/14.
Damon Pettitt was next to join Sultana and the pair kept the scoreboard moving.
Pettitt, though, would be next to depart on six with Victory pulling off a screamer of a juggling catch at square leg off the bowling of Tom Nicolle. Central now 2/32.
It would be Clint Jones who arrived next at the crease.
Jones looked in a very aggressive frame of mind as he found the boundary on several occasions early on in his innings.
Sultana was next to depart on 12 as he picked out Blake Vella at short fine leg to become Nicolle’s second victim. Central 3/47.
Central went into drinks at 3/53.
Kelly joined Jones and departed early for four.
Looking for a second run, Kelly was found short of his ground as Joel Sheppard pinged the ball in from long off and Zel Nejaim whipped off the bails. Central 4/56.
Sheppard was in the action again this time with the ball. James Wells top edged one to Vella on two with Central now 5/58, then Jeson Koruth scooped one to Nicolle at mid wicket, Sheppard had two in the over and Central were in trouble at 6/58.
Jones continued to look the best of the Central batsmen, but just as a partnership threatened to develop with Jackson Bentley, Jones on 22 top edged a full toss to Vella at short fine leg for his third catch and Sheppard’s third wicket. Central 7/70.
Bentley and Kye Turley scraped a few runs together, but Sheppard was in the action again as Turley on five hit a firm pull to Campbell Day as the birthday boy held a great catch and his first catch in senior cricket. Central was now struggling at 8/83.
Toby Fibbins was next to join Bentley and his stay was short lived as Harry Roach ripped in the throw, Kieran McEvoy whipped off the bails with Fibbins well short on one.
When McEvoy had Bentley caught on 13 by Muscat, Central had lost 7/33 and were all out for 89.
Riley Bomford opened up the innings with McEvoy for North. The pair getting off to a flyer thanks to some lusty hitting from McEvoy and a cracking cover drive right off the meat of the bat from Bomford.
Bomford’s stay though was short-lived as he guided one to Sultana at slip on seven. North 1/21.
McEvoy was next joined by the old firm Victory. McEvoy continued to look positive, but departed caught and bowled by Koruth for a blistering 23. North 2/36.
When Day departed for 2 two too a LBW decision, North were looking a little uneasy at 3/38.
Nejaim was next to join Victory, but his stay was also short, as he departed LBW for three off the bowling of Pettitt. North was shaky at 4/45.
A steady partnership was needed, but instead the collapse went into full swing.
Nicolle departed for two, bowled by a peach from Kelly. When Victory went for 11 and Harry Roach was caught for a duck, North went into the drinks break struggling at 7/62.
The cool heads of Jacob Muscat and Day started to rebuild the damage as the pair set about developing a partnership but Muscat was caught behind for a crucial knock of 11. North at 8/73.
It would be the skipper Sheppard to come in at number 10. The pair continued to rotate the strike to keep the scoreboard moving.
It would be Clinton Jones to strike next as Sheppard on five, tried to work a straight ball to the leg side and was clean bowled. North now 9/84.
Vella in his first game for a couple of seasons came into a pressure cooker environment.
Vella kept a cool head as ‘finisher’ Day got the job done hitting the winning runs as North won by a wicket and five overs to spare. Day was terrific in his 12 not out and Vella a great supporting act with zero not out.
North will be looking for back-to-back wins as they take on South on Saturday at Zinc Oval.
Central 89 (Jones 22, Sheppard 4/12, McEvoy 2/10, Nicolle 2/20) defeated by North 9/90 (McEvoy 23, Koruth 3/12, Kelly 2/17, Pettitt 2/24)
