A WEEK is a long time in politics, and so it is in the Hamilton and District Cricket Association A grade competition, as Pigeon Ponds loosened Grampians’ grip on the minor premiership with victory against both Hamilton and Casterton District.
The Pigeons had to first defeat Hamilton on the second day of their round 11 match at Dahl Turf, and then had to back it up the next day against Casterton District at home in a match that was postponed from round six.
Having posted 231 the previous week with Simon Close posting 95 with the stick in hand, and Peter Staude (38) and Jack Beaton (33not-out) ensuring the visitors had a score to defend on Saturday.
With the second day of the match being nowhere near as hot as the first day, Hamilton had Anthony Read back and he opened the innings along with Brenton Callaby, as Jack Beaton took the new ball for the visitors.
The pair were steady without being attacking, as they took their partnership to 41 with the bowlers failing to make use of the new ball.
The batsmen survived through to the drinks break, as each was prepared to play each ball as it came, but straight after the break both batsmen were back in the pavilion after Simon Close dismissed Read (12) and Hamish McCrae trapped Callaby in front of his stumps for 23, as Hamilton slumped to be 2-43.
The top order for the home side all made starts with Tobi Cook (17), Simon Sharrock (22), Robbie Cook (31) and Hamish Cook (14) all posting double figures, but none carried on to make a big score that would have given the side the chance to hunt down the target.
Despite the batsmen getting starts, the side still lost 10-103 to be all out for 144, as McCrae (4-49) and Anthony Close (3-36) being the destroyers for the visitors.
Hamilton remains at the base of the premiership ladder, while Pigeon Ponds slid into second spot.
College d Grampians
COLLEGE has caused a huge upset by thrashing Grampians at Dunkeld Turf, defending 210 from day one, as the Pumas failed with the bat for the first time this season.
With the conditions far easier for all players on Saturday from the previous week, College threw the new ball to Henry Bensch and Lachie Watt, looking to make early inroads into the in-form Pumas’ batting stocks.
Will Collins and Joe Sutherland took strike for the home side and it was a steady start to the run chase, as the batsmen took their time to become used to the conditions, but Bensch eventually found the outside edge of Collins’ (17) bat.
Sutherland posted 13 but he was on his way as Angus Brown snared his second catch in succession, as Adrian Burn tempted the batsman into a false shot with the score on 37.
There was further success for the visitors after the prized wicket of Carl Joyce (five) was snaffled by Lachie Brown with only 44 on the board.
From there though, the visitors continued to dominate the batsmen as the Pumas watched from the sidelines with Tom Polkinghorne (16), Zac Burgess (15), Harrison Wood (26) and Eddie McShane (16) all coming and going without making a score that would have allowed the home side to hunt down the target.
Grampians were bowled out for 117, as Bensch (4-23) took the bowling honours, while Russell Bennett (3-33) gave great support as the Eagles wrapped up the innings only 30 minutes after the tea break.
With the chance to pick up bonus points by batting a second time, the Eagles failed to attack the bowling as they finished on 2-51 from the 12.2 overs bowled before the stumps were drawn with only Heath Schmidt (23 from 16 balls and four boundaries) took the long handle to the bowlers.
The loss leaves the Pumas atop the ladder but their 30-point lead has been cut to only eight points, thanks to their loss here and the two victories that Pigeon Ponds recorded over the weekend.
Macarthur d St Andrew’s
MACARTHUR maintained its chances of playing finals with a good win against St Andrew’s at Clem Young Oval, as the home side failed to chase down the target set by the Demons.
The Demons had posted 272 in the heat last week, but the side knew it had to bowl well if it was going to restrict the Drews at home.
The home side boasted a strong top order, but the Demons were primed to meet the challenge with some very good line and length bowling, as Kyle Smitten and Adam Fry took the new ball looking for an early breakthrough.
Brendan Huf and Steve Cameron denied the bowlers an early wicket, battling through the new ball and posting a half century stand, but with 57 on the board the batsmen took on the throwing arm of Jeremy Sheehan and were found wanting with Cameron run out for 24.
James Guthrig came to the wicket at number three but the bowlers refused to give the batsmen any loose deliveries and the score crept along at two per over until just before the afternoon tea break, when Huf was trapped in front of his stumps for 38 to give Michael Brilley the prized wicket.
Kane Taylor (one) came and went, as Charlie Summers grabbed another wicket before the break to leave the home side at 3-85 at the interval.
With the Drews needing another 190 runs after the break, the middle order was forced to try and score at a run-a-ball pace if it was going to hunt down the target.
Darryl Fry scored a stylish 14 before being clean bowled by Smitten, but then Ollie Wortley took control of the match by capturing the wickets of Guthrig (27), Ross McNaughton (25), Dale Harris (two) and Jordan Van Dooren (38) to have the home side reeling at 9-192.
If the Drews were going to grab the points, they needed a last-wicket partnership between Latham Wishart and Simon Hatherell.
The experience of the pair saw them add 54 undefeated runs for the final wicket, but the side needed a further 27 runs to claim the points when they ran out of overs to finish on 9-246.
Wortley took 4-41 to go along with his 118 with the bat on the first day, as he had his best match to date in the top grade, while Smitten, Summers, Brilley and Jack Wortley all grabbed a wicket apiece.
The win keeps the Demons in touching distance of a top four finish in sixth spot, while the Drews remain fifth also with aspirations of a finals spot.
Pigeon Ponds def Casterton District (Rd6 catch up match)
WITH the wet weather playing havoc with the early rounds of the Hamilton and District Cricket Association A grade season, Pigeon Ponds hosted Casterton District in a round six match that couldn’t be staged back on 12 November 2022 due to an unplayable ground.
The two teams agreed to stage the game on Sunday and under bright sunshine the home side won the toss and elected to bat first.
Casterton District entered the match fully refreshed after having the bye over the last two Saturdays, but the Maroons didn’t have Rick and Matt Killey (both unavailable) within its ranks which was a huge blow for the visitors.
Simon Close was coming off 95 against Hamilton last weekend and he carried that form into this game, as he and Peter Staude (16) added 50 from the first eight overs as their shots were rewarded by a very fast outfield that sped the ball to the fence.
With the first ball of the ninth over, Staude was on his way after Fletcher Bright grabbed the much-needed breakthrough with his first ball of the game when Kane Forbes held the chance offered.
Michael Close joined his brother at the crease and the pair carried the tally to 171 in the middle of the 33rd over before Simon fell for the second consecutive score in the nineties (91 from 99 balls) which carried him to the top of the run getters list for the competition.
From there though, the home side didn’t lose another wicket, as Anthony Close and Michael took to the bowlers to adding 134 runs from the last 12.3 overs.
Anthony Close smashed his way to 77-not-out from only 40 balls with eight boundaries and three maximums, but the day belonged to Michael Close who posted his maiden A grade century from 107 balls and carried his final score to 103-not-out with 11 boundaries and a further two sixes, as the home side finished on 2-305 from its allotted overs.
In reply, Ben Holmes (39 from 43 balls) looked to hunt down the target as he and Oliver Foster added 51 for the first wicket before Holmes was well caught by George Austin from the bowling of Larry Leeming.
After that fast start, the next two wickets fell quickly and the visitors slumped to be 3-69, as Kane Forbes (three) and Kaden Humphries (seven) came and went.
Foster (17) held up an end while Carey Megaw attacked the bowlers with a quickfire 45 from only 35 balls, but when his wicket fell with 145 on the board, the Maroons lost their last five wickets for only 28 runs and the side was all out for only 173 inside the 35th over.
Anthony Close backed up his batting with four wickets, while Leeming also grabbed four wickets to share the bowling honours.
The Pigeons’ second victory in 24 hours lifted the side into second place but they only trail Grampians by eight points, while Casterton District remain in the hunt for a finals place in fourth.
