A SOLID South partnership after early trouble has proved the difference between them and North in their B-Grade Barrier District Cricket League match, which was reduced to a T20 because of excessive heat.
On a scorching summer’s day at Norm Fox Oval, North captain Joel Sheppard won the toss and elected to field first with the sun beating down.
The experienced new ball pairing of Kieran McEvoy and Ben Victory got the team off to a solid start.
McEvoy had the ball on a string early bowling both Jamie Gilby for 0 and James Carlaw for 4 to have South 2/5.
Matt Gray and Aneesh George joined forces and took to the North attack as the boundaries began to flow.
Gray and George guiding South to 2/49 off 8 overs at the first drinks break.
The pair continued to be aggressive after the break until Josh Botten pulled back his length and had Gray caught hooking for 38 by wicketkeeper Scott Rogers. South 3/63.
George was joined by A. Pala and the pair continued to put the foot down as they threatened to help South post a massive score.
It would be golden arm Dylan Millsteed who broke the partnership as McEvoy took a well-judged catch at long off to dismiss Pala for 17.
South motoring at 4/112 in the 15th over as drinks were called.
The fightback continued after the break as George was finally dismissed for a blistering 47, caught by Muscat off the bowling of Botten. South 5/114.
Millsteed wasn’t done himself as he bowled Tom Thomas for two and then had Ashley Christos caught behind for 0 as South fell to 7/118.
Lucas Christos and Jai Purdue showed some late fight, but Christos was soon bowled by Victory for 5.
Purdue and Sione Tuipulotu guiding South to 8/129 off their 20 overs.
It was a good fightback by North, who at one stage were staring down the barrel of a chase of around 150.
Millsteed was the pick of the bowlers with 3/9 off three overs, while McEvoy and Botten were never far from the action with 2/31 and 2/30 off their respective four overs.
Disaster struck early for North as Kieran McEvoy smoked a pull shot on 0 and was well held by Tuipulotu off the bowling of Gray, North 1/0.
Things didn’t get much better as Ben Victory was caught for 7 off the bowling of Angus Chestnut and Millsteed was caught by Chestnut off the bowling of Tala for 1 to leave North reeling at 3/11.
Rogers and Zel Nejaim steadied the ship to get North to 3/27 off 8 overs at drinks, still a long way behind in the game.
Looking to up the intensity, Nejaim became Palas second victim caught behind for 11. North 4/31.
When Josh Botten was trapped in front by Chestnut for 7, North were in big trouble at 5/46.
Troy Day provided some solid support for Rogers, who was the only batsman able to flourish.
A couple of big overs in the power surge had North in with an outside sniff, but unfortunately Day was bowled for 10 to leave North 6/75 after 15 overs.
Blake Vella came and went for 0 after the break as Rogers and Sheppard continued to fight a losing battle.
Rogers playing some glorious shots including a reverse sweep over backward point.
With the assignment becoming too much for North, Rogers was finally out in the last over caught by Chestnut at long on for 45, a fantastic innings. North 8/106.
Harry Purdue came out to face his father Jai Purdue. After a dot ball and a wide, Purdue smacked the last ball of the innings to the mid wicket boundary to finish 4 not out and scoring his first runs in senior cricket. Sheppard remained 9 not out, North falling 19 runs short at 8/111 off 20 overs.
The B grade season will resume on Saturday, January 11, against the Warriors at Zinc Oval in what should prove to be a season-defining contest.
Result: South 8/129 (A George 47, M Gray 38, D Millsteed 3/9, J Botten 2/30, K McEvoy 2/31) d North 8/111 (Rogers 45, A Chestnut 2/9, A Pala 2/20)
