NORTH have ended 2024 with a commanding nine-wicket win over South after a cunning plan to expose the North fielders to intense heat came unstruck at the Norm Fox Oval.
South Captain Tristan Smith won the toss and elected to have a bat first on a very warm day, hoping to tire the North players in the hot sun in their round 6 Barrier District Cricket League A-Grade encounter.
The day started quite well for South with several early boundaries after capitalising on some loose deliveries from the North bowlers.
Jaxon Cain was the first to break through, captain Tobias Hack taking a nice catch down the leg side to have South 1/27.
More quick wickets were shared between Jaxon Cain (2/18) and Benjamin Jurd (2/9) to have the Roos in some strife at 4/36.
The wickets continued to tumble with Matt Gray (21) the only batsman to show some resistance in the middle order.
When Jordan Vella entered the attack to clean up the last three wickets, South had been dismissed for 83.
Given North had been dismissed for 95 at the Norm Fox only two weeks earlier, this was not a chase to be taken lightly and the two left-handers in Michael Maalste and Hack headed out into the heat to get the job done.
There was plenty going on early with an early boundary to Maalste, before he was struck in the helmet a short time later. The next ball went for a massive six, and the ball after was skied for an easy caught and bowled. North 1/11.
The unbeaten partnership of Hack and Jurd then took to centre stage.
The next eight overs were a showcase of some brutal batting from two of the league’s premier batsmen.
Between them they hit seven fours and five sixes, as North chased the total down in just 9.5 overs.
Jurd finished with 34, Hack 30, both not out.
North ends the calendar year on a good note, with only the one loss up until the Christmas break.
Result: North 1/88 (Jurd 34*, Hack 30*) defeated South 83 (Gray 21, Vella 3/8, Jurd 2/9, Cain 2/18) by 9 wickets.
