Last weekend the three Tewantin-Noosa Thunder top grades (First, Second and Thirds) played matches but only one of the matches ended up with a win for the club.
FIRST GRADE: From the first series of matches in the First Grade T20 competition it is obvious already that the all-round standard of the eight teams competing has improved over last season. This will be a tougher season for the local team who have been able to retain nearly all of their premiership players from last year, whilst other clubs have recruited well. Last Saturday they travelled to Caboolture to play the next two rounds of the T20 Competition. In the morning match against Caloundra the boys batted first for the 5th time in a row. Ben Laughlin got the team off to another great start, scoring 51 off 34 balls. After the early loss of Lewis Waugh, Jarrod Officer (46) and Ben Claypole (17* off 20) were the only others to register double figure scores. Boundaries were hard to come by in the last 10 and they did well to post 141 on a ground that has seen four T20 matches played on it this season and no other scores were over 100.
Caloundra came out and hit 20 off the first two overs before Tom Stewart, bowling with pace and lift snagged a double wicket maiden in the third. From there on Thunder were well on top to have them all out for 92. Best figures of the eight bowlers were from Jake Dennien 4-12, Dom Taylor 3-14 and Tom Stewart 2-14
In the afternoon Tewantin-Noosa took on Caboolture on the main oval. With both on four wins and one loss, it was a game that will virtually decide who finishes higher on the T20 ladder. Batting first for the sixth time in a row the Thunder got off to another great start thanks to Laughlin who scored 44 off 33 balls. The score was 1 for 52 after 5 overs and a big score was in the offering. However, disappointingly, the team lost regular wickets to their good bowling and tight fielding. Other batsmen to contribute were Ben Claypole 28 and Blake Steel 23 including a massive six onto the clubhouse. The innings finished on 131 after the 20 overs which was probably 15-20 runs short against the strong Caboolture batting line up.
This proved to be the case and after losing a couple of early wickets to have them at 2-44 after 7 overs, the Snake’s batsmen, including ex-Queensland Bulls batsmen, Glen Batticciotto batted well and reached the target in the last over. There had been a couple of close calls in LBW appeals and run outs but on the day, Caboolture were the better team. Improvement is needed in all aspects when the semi-finals against Caboolture or Maroochydore, are played in a few weeks.
Next Thursday night the team will play Gympie Gold under lights (6pm start) at Read Park in the final T20 match and then on Saturday they will play the first of their 50 Over matches, again against Gympie (10am start) at home.
SECOND GRADE: Playing USC at home Thunder sent in the opposition to bat first. Talon Reichert and Tyrone De Kauwe opened the bowling with Talon taking the first wicket with a ripper. Tyrone bowled a good opening spell, and both kept run rate well in check.
Two of our debutants, teenagers Will Cooke and Finn Mayo were then given a spell with the ball. Finn bowled his leggies and on a slow pitch was hard to get away. He took a wicket in his 2nd over and finished with 2 for 9. At 2-63 after 20 overs, Thunder was well in the match, but USC piled on the runs finishing on 7 for 172 after their 40 overs.
In reply, Josh Peters opened up and scored a classy 40. Adam Curry 14 and Daniel Cooke 25 (playing his first match for the club) were the only others to get into double figures. The team lost wickets in clumps to some poor shot selection and ended up well short of the target. Next week the team takes on Yandina at their home ground and look forward to improving both as a team and as individuals.
THIRD GRADE: Playing Coolum Sharks at Yandina the Thirdies welcomed some new faces to the club and a couple of juniors to senior cricket. Coolum chose to bat first. Great opening spells from Ben Shaw 2-24 (8 overs), Joshua Christensen 1-30 (8 overs), Tadhg Crowley 0-17 (6) and Alex Morgan, with fantastic figures of 3-24 (5), saw Coolum struggling to get runs and were at 3-54 at the 20 over drinks break. However, with wickets in hand Coolum increased the run rate in the second 20 overs to finish at 7 for 173.
TNT’s batting innings started shakily with a couple of wickets lost early. But then Anthony Blackwell (41) and Harper Lee (19) steadied the innings nicely and at the drinks break they were in a similar position to what Coolum were at 2-59. When it was Thunder’s turn to try and up the run rate unfortunately things didn’t go to plan and with a lower order collapse, they were bowled out in the 35th over for 92. The effort and intent of the team did not waiver until the final wicket, and everyone will be better for the run next week when the team plays Yandina at Dale Officer Oval.
Other Tewantin-Noosa Thunder matches on Saturday 8 October:
5th Grade V Coolum at Coolum (12 noon start)
Under 17 V Maroochydore at Maroochydore (7.45am start for Juniors)
Under 15 V Maroochydore at Dale Officer Oval
Under 13A (Storm) V USC at Ballinger Park, Buderim
Under 13B North (Lightning) V Maroochydore at Maroochydore Sate School
Under 11 (Lightning) V Maroochydore at Kulin State School
Under 11 (Storm) V Coolum at Di Hurst Oval Peregian Beach
Sunday 9 October at 9.45am
Womens Team V Glasshouse at Read Park
