In a very disappointing end to the season for the Tewantin-Noosa Thunder Cricket Club, none of their three senior teams involved in last weekend’s semi-finals will be playing in the competition’s grand finals.
The results came about due to a mixture of below par performances from some players, the toss of the coin and the unfavorable weather conditions around the district.
FIRST GRADE
The team had finished third on the ladder and were required to play the second placed team, Maroochydore Swans at their home ground in their semi-final. The First Graders were very confident after defeating the Swans the previous weekend although in this semi-final Thunder had to win the match to progress whereas all the Swans needed to do was draw the game. The main concern for Thunder was the unstable weather and a couple of key players being unavailable. So, on winning the toss Maroochydore were sent into bat first with the plan to bowl them out and then pass their score for a first innings win.
Maroochydore started batting patiently and progressed to be 0 for 64 after 19 overs before some great bowling from Ben Laughlin and Scott Aufderheide inspired a mini collapse with Swan wickets falling at 64, 70, 73 and 75. Then as the match progressed the Thunder fielders put down three chances which did not help the plan. However, the Thunder bowlers persisted, and Maroochydore progressed to be 6 for 124 before they shut up shop, 55 runs coming from the last 34 overs. The day ended at 6-179 off 80 overs and with the new ball available from the first over on Sunday.
Things started well for Thunder on Sunday morning dismissing the last four Swans batsmen for 12 runs to see them all out for 191. Laughlin had taken 5 wickets, Aufderheide 2 and Tom Stewart 1.
Thunder then set out to pass their score but from the first few overs it all went astray. Wickets fell at 15, 18, 29, 45, 46, 56 and by the time the storm clouds gathered, and lightning threatened mid-afternoon, the Thunder team were in big trouble at 9 for 90. The only batsman to show any real fight was veteran Chris Wright who scored 34 off 70 balls. The Thunder First Grade team are a very experienced group of players but on this occasion they were beaten by a young team who showed unlimited enthusiasm and a desire to win.
This team had scored more runs than any other team in the grade during the season but when it really counted they fell short of what was required. The First Graders, last year’s premiers will need to regroup over the winter break and work on using their experienced players to pass on their skills to some of the club’s younger players.
THIRD GRADE
The team was playing their semi at Palmwoods but lost the toss and were asked to bat on a sticky sweating pitch. After losing an early wicket Harper Lee and Nigel Webster consolidated for a handy partnership before rain delayed play. An hour later the rain cleared but Palmwoods tried delaying tactics as they did not need to win the match. The umpires rejected their pleas and eventually the game continued.
Webster scored another 50 before getting out to an unlucky dismissal. Harper Lee was asked to bat and bat which is what he did, contributing 32 runs off 160 balls on a difficult surface, playing anchor as batting partners came and went. At the end of Day 1, bad light stopped play with Thunder on 8 for 140. The plan for Day 2 was to continue batting and score 180.
Day 2 saw the goal of reaching 180 cut short with Thunder managing only one more run to their total. With the target for Palmwood’s batsmen on 142, Benny Shaw took two early wickets. Then Palmwoods consolidated and they added valuable runs in their 3rd wicket partnership before some sharp fielding by Tiernan Crowley and keeper by Harper Lee saw an unlikely wicket fall in the form of a run out right before drinks. From there Thunder toiled without much success to eventually see Palmwoods pass the target losing only five wickets.
Palmwoods definitely had the best of the conditions, with the Day 2 deck the polar opposite of Day 1. Thunder had batted on a particularly difficult surface with no value for runs through a wet outfield whilst the opposition batted on a far truer surface with dry, fast outfield. There is no doubt that the toss had a huge influence on the outcome of this match.
It has been a very good season for the team, with their five-game winning streak allowing them to take part in the finals. All the players are looking forward to the next season and with a little more experience under their belts they will give the premiership a nudge.
SIXTH GRADE
Playing Caboolture at their ground in their semi-final, the match scorebook should show “Thunder defeated by the rain.” Batting first in unfavourable conditions the Sixers were compiling a very competitive target but declared on 6 down for 148 to give themselves a chance of a win by bowling out the Caboolture team. Top scorers were Wayne Moore (49), R Lewis (21), Brendan Chaplin (19) with Justin Talbot not out on 13. As rain threatened the Thunder team took a wicket early but that is where the match and the season ended for the Thunder boys, with the weather deciding the outcome of the match. It was a disappointing end to a very good season for the team.
