By Randall Woodley
The Sunshine Coast Cricket Association Semi-Finals will be played on the weekend of March 6 and 7 and all four Tewantin-Noosa Thunder Club senior teams are in the running to compete in these matches. Last Saturday was the first day of the second last round of two-day matches and all Thunder teams are well placed to register wins next weekend. However, like all cricket matches there are no “gimmies” and each team will need to perform at top level to bring home the points. Grades 1, 5 and 6 all batted first and registered a combined 643 runs in their first innings. Next Saturday it will be the bowlers turn and they will be relied on to take multiple wickets to get the wins required.
FIRST GRADE: The match which commenced last Saturday and the next will be crucial for the Thunder boys to see where they finish on the ladder and whether they play a home semi-final. On Saturday they travelled down to Caloundra and after winning the toss batted first. The wicket was dry and flat and the outfield very slow. Shots that would normally be 4s pulled up a few metres in from the boundary for 2s and this slackened the scoring rate down all day.
Alex Bennett and captain Jake Dennien opened the innings and both were unbeaten at the score of 101 after 31 overs at lunch. The team then set themselves a minimum declaration target of 270 but soon after lunch 3 wickets fell for just 15 runs. Bennett was out for a well compiled 60 (back-to-back fifties) and Dennien 46. The middle order scored quickly (Officer 26 and Kratzmann 16) but lost wickets and by mid-afternoon the team were 6 for 172.
Then Chris Wright, batting at 6, began playing in his usual aggressive style and put on 65 with teenager Cody Pyne (29) which was great to see from this promising youngster. Wright was out for 71 off 81 balls and the declaration came with an hour to play on 9 for 277.
Tom Freshwater and Scott Aufderheide opened the bowling and had plenty of close misses and LBW appeals but eventually, each of them was rewarded with a wicket. Good to see that the only two catches offered by the batsmen were snapped up and this needs to continue next week
The Caloundra Lighthouses were 2 -47 at stumps and Thunder will be pushing next Saturday to take another 8 wickets for First Innings points and then assess the match situation.
FIFTH GRADE: The team were home at Dale Officer Oval to Caloundra and after winning the toss decided to bat first on what looked like a good batting strip, apart from the slow outfield. TNT started well with openers Brendan Wright and Steven Hill paving the way. The Caloundra players, even though last placed, turned up for the game and bowled tightly and fielded well all afternoon, keeping the pressure on and limiting the home side’s scoring opportunities.
Brendan Wright held up one end for an extended stay at the crease for a well-earned and patient 53 whilst he combined nicely with Nigel Webster before he ran himself out on 46. With the game still moving back and forth, Euan Buxton (31no) and the ever improving Ben Shaw (38) put on a late masterclass partnership of 60 plus runs that moved TNT ahead in the match with the team compiling a competitive 217, all out.
With 7 overs of play remaining, Caloundra managed to score a scrappy 30 runs to be 1 down at stumps. A great game of cricket all round played in good spirits by both teams with next week result will be crucial for points.
SIXTHS GRADE: Thunder went down to Maroochydore for Day 1 of the match with aims of locking up a top-four spot. The day started well with the captain winning the toss and electing to bat. The openers did a good job taking the team to first drinks breaks with no loss of wickets. By mid-afternoon the score was 2 for 79 and the boys were looking like posting a sizeable first innings score.
Unfortunately, the tea break led to a mid-order collapse and despite all the batsmen putting up a determined effort the innings wrapped up on 149. By far the best batsman was Brian Lee with 47. With 2 overs left to be bowled Thunder were unlucky not to snag a wicket or two before close of play. Next week will be a big challenge or the team to take ten wickets and claim the match points.
