By Randall Woodley
It was announced this week that the Tewantin-Noosa Thunder First Grade team will take on the Sunshine Coast Scorchers First Grade side in the Laguna Realty T20 Challenge under lights on Thursday night, November 26 at Read Park. The Thunder team won the recent Sunshine Coast Cricket Association T20 series (winning eight out of nine matches) and are looking to test themselves against a highly rated team.
The Scorchers have been consistently one of the top sides in this format in Queensland Premier cricket so will put on a show as they warm up for the their T20 campaign. The TNT team will include one of the club’s coaches, Bulls and International player, Nathan Reardon and one of the BBLs top wicket takers and local identity Ben Laughlin.
All players, supporters of the club and members of the public are invited to this match starting at 6.00pm. The Club Bar will be open and Wood Fired Pizza Van will be operating.
MATCHES LAST WEKEND: Last Saturday was the first day of the Two-Day matches which will now be played fortnightly until the end of the season.
FIRST GRADE: The team took on the Maroochydore Swans at Buderim which was really a match that would decide second place in the premiership ladder. Against all expectations the day turned into an outing for the bowlers who took 15 wickets during play for only 174 runs scored off the bat. Losing the toss, TNT were sent out into the field on what was going to be a 33- degree day. With openers Scott Aufderheide and Tom Freshwater who have taken over 100 red ball wickets between them in the last 2 years, the boys could not wait to get out into the field.
These two clever and experienced cricketers did not disappoint and they bowled virtually unchanged for the day. The Swans were 3-31 after an hour and then 4-60 at lunch and later all out 110 in the 43rd over an hour into the middle session. Scott bowled 19 overs 3 for 50 and Freshy picked up his third 5 wicket haul of the season with 6 for 47 off his 18 overs. All ten Maroochydore wickets were caught (9 behind the wicket) with the highlight being 2 brilliant catches at short leg by Sam Baker. Dom Taylor picked up the last wicket with 1 for 7 off his 3 overs and teenager Harrison Lea bowled 3 overs for 2 runs.
Thunder had 43 overs to bat and a great opportunity to set the game up. Maroochydore bowled well and with the pitch being quite slow scoring was very difficult. TNT lost two early wickets but kept struggling to accumulate runs. Sam Baker and Jake Dennien batted for 21 overs for 45 runs to get the team back to 3 for 60 before both fell in the last 10 balls of the day to allow Maroochydore back into the game. At stumps the batting side was 3 for 64 needing 47 runs next week to pass the target score. With plenty of batting in the sheds it is hoped that a couple of good partnerships should get the Thunder over the line for a First Innings win and maybe, just maybe set up for an outright.
THIRDS: The team played Maleny at Dale Officer Oval in the first of the two-day games and Jason Toohey continued his form at the toss losing again and is now 0-8 on the season. Bowling first the Thunder boys had the visitors at 3 for 64 at drinks. Openers Tom Stewart (2-17 off 9) and Ben Giddy had opened the bowling and kept the pressure on all the batsmen. By mid-afternoon the bowlers had done their job and Maleny were all out for 150. Others to take wickets were Brad Thompson (3-24 off 9), Jason Toohey (3-29 off 10), Nick Bennett (1-32 off 8) and Blake Steel (1-12 off 4)
Thunder started very badly losing their first 3 wickets for 17 before Nick Bennett 25 no and Blake O’Donnell 24 began their rescue mission. At stumps TNT were 4 for 69 still needing another 82 to gain first innings points for the match. Next Saturday will be crucial day for the team to remain in the top half of the ladder.
