By Randall Woodley
The Tewantin-Noosa Thunder Cricket Club installed ground lighting at Read Park last year with funds through the government grants scheme. The lights are considered to be the best outside of Brisbane and have been used extensively during the current cricket season. First and Third Grades have played limited overs matches against other coast teams, First Grade included State of Origin star Cameron Munster when they played the Scorchers and the women’s team use them for many of their matches. Last Friday night it was the junior players turn and the club’s two Under-Thirteen team played in front of parents, friends and supporters. It was a great night for the players and the community.
WEEKEND SENIOR MATCHES
FIRST GRADE: On the second Saturday of the match against Caloundra, the equation was simple for the Thunder; take eight more wickets with 230 runs to play with and the first innings points were theirs for the taking. On week one TNT had declared at 9 for 277 and at stumps Caloundra were 2 for 47. When the boys took the field last Saturday, they soon realised that they had a game on their hands. The pitch was even deader than the week before but the outfield had dried out and was at least 50 % quicker from when they batted. The other news was that spearhead Tom Freshwater could not bowl with an injured hamstring.
Caloundra began batting cautiously and it was not until the 34th over, just before lunch that Dom Taylor broke through for the first wicket of the day. After the break the team was absolutely up for the grind and during the next hour only one more wicket was taken before two more fell before tea to have the Lighthouses 5 down. Taylor continued bowling from one end unchanged into the wind whilst speedsters Scott Aufderheide and teenager Tom Stewart bowled unreal from the other.
The new ball became available at tea with 5 more wickets required in the next two hours. With the new ball in hand, Aufderheide and Stewart came out firing and took three wickets in the first four overs, breaking the opposition’s resistance. The final wicket fell just on last drinks. The bowling figures tell the story. Aufderheide took 5 for 47 off 28 overs, Stewart 2-27 off 18 and Taylor 2-71 off 31. Great bowling from this trio with some help during the day from relief bowlers.
With 13 overs left the Thunder boys went out to score bonus runs. Chris Wright and Alex Bennett came out and attacked the bowling, putting on 46 off the first 3 overs. At stumps TNT had belted 113 off 13 overs with Bennett putting together his third fifty plus score in a row. Great win for the boys.
Next Saturday the team play Caboolture at Read Park and a win in this match will see the team finish first or second and guaranteed a home semi-final on March 6th and 7th.
THIRD GRADE: The team went down to Burpengary, playing at home by 12 runs. Batting last Saturday, the target was a gettable 206 to win. There were some good innings but not enough partnerships to push the team over the line. Best scores were from:- Blake Steele 41, Nigel Webster 36, Nick Bennett 26, Troy Dennien 24 and Leon Beatty 20.
Although still in the top four, next week the team will need to win their match against Glasshouse at their ground to be assured of figuring in the finals.
FIFTH GRADE: The team resumed play against Caloundra at Dale Officer Oval with the visitors needing 187 runs to win the game. The Lighthouses took control early with TNT not getting a much-needed breakthrough until the 36th over thanks to Jack Floyd thunderbolt that speared into the stumps. The usually consistent TNT bowlers struggled in the heat on a flat track with some poor fielding and not taking the limited opportunities when offered. Mike “Rowdy” Thomson bowled well in a never say die effort finishing with 4 – 63 off a massive 30 overs. Other wicket takers were Floyd 2-34, Steve Hill 1-55, Ian Brundell 1-12 and Blake O Donell 1-11.
Caloundra won the match by 35 runs. With the competition ladder in a log jam for the top four spots, a win next week against front runners Maroochydore a must to keep the TNT boys in finals contention.
SIXTH GRADE: The team returned to Maroochydore trying to defend 146 against the second placed side in the competition.
Thunder captain Justin Talbot took the ball first and bowled a brilliant opening spell, snaring 3 caught behinds and having a catch dropped before first drinks. Well supported at the other end by Brendan Chaplin and his father Graham. Wayne Moore also bowled tightly and was very unlucky not to take a few wickets. Then Matt Mayo came on and with 2 wickets from 2 balls swung the game back to Thunder.
Finn Mayo then took the seventh Swan’s scalp with some lovely leg spin that took out the leg stump. At tea they were 7-76 and eventually all out for 116 giving the Thunder a 30-run win. Best TNT bowling figures- Talbot 4-24, Matt Mayo 2-5, Finn Mayo 1-16 and Shane Gesell 2-6. Batting for the remainder of the day Thunder put on another 73 runs with Gesell hitting 51 off 37.
Overall an excellent team effort coming into the finals and with a decent result against number 3 team USC team next week, Thunder should hopefully be facing arch rivals Palmwoods in the first semi.
