By Randall Woodley
The cricket season is down to the last two matches for the season and these will be played each Saturday during February, before the finals commence in early March. The First Graders, now running second on the ladder, after their win against Coolum are assured of a place in the semis. They will need to stay at first or second place to ensure they play their semi-final at home which is always an advantage. Last Saturday, the Fifth Graders had a big win over Glasshouse but the other two teams lost their matches on the first innings.
FIRST GRADE: On Day I of the match against Coolum the Thunder were 3 for 127 in reply to the Sharks all out for 126. Day 2 saw them keen to play for an outright win and they started according to plan; bat for an hour then put Coolum in again. After a 1st over maiden Andrew Kratzmann whacked a straight 6 first ball to get the ball rolling. They then scored another 76 runs off the next 11 overs before a couple of wickets saw them declare 77 runs ahead, 6 down. Alex Bennett had fallen at 95 in a really impressive innings where he had smacked three sixes. Kratzmann was out for 23.
The declaration saw five hours left in the day but the young Coolum side fought hard and came out to dead bat on a featherbed pitch playing back to literally everything. TNT had them 2 down at lunch and then 4 down at drinks but they batted through the next 2 hours without losing another wicket.
Scott Aufderheide could only bowl 6 overs with his injured back and with the other spearhead, Tom Freshwater away, it was left to the other team members to take the wickets. They all did their job but time ran out and when the match concluded Coolum were 7 for 185. Best of the Thunder bowlers were Dom Taylor, 3 for 83 off a marathon 30 overs, Harrison Lea 2-20 off 10 and Tom Stewart 1- 33 off 17.
A couple of dropped chances in this innings and quite a few for the game probably cost Thunder the outright but otherwise the batting and bowling was top class. If the team can improve on their catching, they are looking good for the finals.
THIRD GRADE: Coming into Day 2, Maroochydore Swans were 1-66 chasing TNT’s 139. It did not take too long for the first wicket to fall with a Blake Steel direct hit runout in the 3rd over of the day. From there Maroochydore slowly chipped away at the total with their next wicket falling for 77 giving Nick Bennett his 2nd wicket for the innings. A few streaky shots and dropped catches later, they passed TNT’s score in the 46th over. They were eventually bowled out for 206 with Nick Bennett running through the middle order, bowling good line and length to finish with the great figures of 6-67 off 21.3 overs. Others to take wickets were- Ben Giddy, Brad Thompson and Brett Fordyce.
At stumps TNT were 4-61 conceding the first innings win to the Swans. The team is third on the ladder with two matches to go. Next week the boys take on Burpengary at Read Park.
FIFTHS: Last Saturday the team resumed their match against Glasshouse needing only 27 runs to take 1st innings points. With Steve Gallagher and Tony Watson at the crease the pair only took 7 overs to pass the target. Watson was later out for 42 and Gallagher 45. Once the first innings points were achieved TNT went about setting up the game for the outright win. The captain declared later on 7 for 218 with Nigel Webster finishing with a great knock of 78 not out. This left 45 overs in the day to bowl out the Rangers and win the outright.
With veteran Mike Thomson headlining the bowling attack and back up support from the rest, TNT went within a whisker of getting the outright having Glasshouse 8 for 43 at stumps. Many a debate will continue as to whether bowlers or batsmen win games but the efforts from TNTs bowlers to take 18 wickets for 106 runs against an opposition that was playing for a top four spot and on par with runs for and against – was simply awesome.
Bowling stats for the game as follows: Thomson 3-30, Luke Anstey 6-32, Steve Hill 4-7, Euan Baxter 2-9 and Naveen Chand, Ben Shaw and Ian Brundell all taking a wicket each. Wicket-keeper David Baker took five catches during the match. The win sees TNT into clear 3rd position on the ladder only a few points behind second with two rounds to go. Next Saturday the boys host Caloundra at Dale Officer Oval.
SIXTH GRADE: Day 2 of the match against top side Palmwoods and chasing their score of 258 was always going to be a challenge for the Thunder team. The question was could the boys bat all afternoon? Starting at 0-9, they did their best to thwart the Palmwood’s bowlers until forty-five minutes before stumps in the 69th over when the last wicket fell at 127. Top scorer for TNT was Ron Lewis who batted for 40 overs for his 29. A first innings loss but th team is still eyeing off a semi-finals spot. Next week the team is away to second placed Maroochydore and will need to improve in all aspects of the game if they are to win.
