THE Hamilton and District Cricket Association (HDCA) Hurricanes suffered twin losses last Sunday, as both the Senior Men and the Over-40s Green teams failed to register a victory against their Horsham opposition.

It was the first time in more than 20 years that the two associations had met in long-format matches and much was expected especially of the senior men’s team.

New HDCA Hurricanes skipper, Simon Close gained, first blood of the day as he quickly chose to bat first after winning the toss and with Brendan Huf and debutant, Peter Staude, opening the innings, he could have expected a solid start.

The Horsham attack featured former Premier First Grade players and a current Australian Country representative, but Huf and Staude stood tall and posted 56 to hand the team the start required.

The Hurricanes then lost both openers and Simon Close on that score to fall to 3-56 in the space of an over.

Tobi Cook carried his Saturday form into this match and was happily scoring at a run-a-ball pace with three magnificent maximums and was looking as if that second ton of the season was in grasp, before he played over the top of a delivery and was bowled for 33.

Murray Staude scored all 11 runs of his partnership with Anthony Close, whose role was now to bat out the innings and guide the Hurricanes to a defendable score.

He would post the innings’ top score of 46 and see the tally reach 191.

The Hurricanes failed to bat their allotted overs and the 13 balls they didn’t get to face would prove decisive to the result.

Debutant, Angus Harms, and Murray began with the new ball, as Horsham began its run chase and the pair had allowed only 17 runs from the first seven overs before Murray struck with the second ball of his fourth over.

The Hurricanes swung a double bowling change after the over, as Cam Templeton and Zebb Nield were brought into the attack with the first and second change bowlers carrying on the good work of the openers in restricting the run rate.

Russell Elton was introduced from the 17th over (the final over before the drinks break) and he delivered a maiden to carry the Hurricanes momentum into the break.

Nield grabbed his maiden senior wicket for the association, as he claimed the prize scalp of Nathan Alexander (19) upon resumption.

Elton and debutant, Hamish Cook, combined brilliantly to place the Horsham batsmen under pressure, delivering a combined 14 overs for only 30 runs in a dominant display of line and length bowling.

Cook sent down seven overs, three maidens and only allowed seven runs from his spell in a stunning debut that will have caught the selectors’ eyes.

Elton carried on to finish his allotted 10-over spell with only 24 runs conceded, while grabbing a vital third wicket, but when he came out of the attack, the Hurricanes had 13 overs left to defend the 90 runs needed by Horsham.

Despite some great bowling from the Hurricanes, the Horsham middle order took 60 runs from the next eight overs to leave the hosts requiring a run a ball from the last five overs.

At this level that can and was achieved within only three overs, as Horsham claimed the bragging rights for the next 12 months.

The Hurricanes can still reach the Final for the Festival of Cricket if they can defeat Wimmera Mallee by enough on January 16 in Horsham.

If they win by only a small margin, they will not reach the final, which will be played in Hamilton on February 6.

Over-40s

A GREAT debut by Nic Ciccone who took 2-18 and made 37 from a total of 9-49, and 3-30 from fellow debutant, David Spark, were the only highlights in a well beaten Hurricanes Green team in the Over-40s match.

All eyes will on be on the local derby match between the Hurricanes Gold and Green teams here in Hamilton on January 16, as to which team has the bragging rights for the next 12 months.