By Randall Woodley
Last Saturday wrapped up the cricket fixtures for 2017 and TNT’s performances on the field so far could be summed up by the old saying – “Not enough runs – not enough wickets.”
Even though there have been some outstanding individual performances with both bat and ball, overall all the teams and players have so far, not achieved what they set out to do for the 2017-18 season.
Special mention should be made of three TNT players – Ben Gear who is third place on the SCCA First Grade batting table with 345 runs at 69; Graham Chaplin topping 4th Grade bowling with 16 wickets and Chris Wright scoring the most runs in 2nd Grade.
With the Christmas break ahead for the players, it will be a time for reflection and extra training to ensure the second part of the season will see overall improvements in all facets of the game and of course more wins for the club.
First Grade – When your team’s best batsman gets run out on 99 and your second best is run out for 1 off the bowler’s shoe, you know it is not your day! On Saturday the team travelled to Maroochydore to play their 50-over match and were sent into bat on a very slow wicket and damp outfield. With a target of 250 in mind, the early scoring was slow but things improved when the team’s season highest scorer, Ben Gear came to the crease after the loss of the first wicket at 21. He and opener Jake Dennien then put on a great partnership of 119 runs. After the loss of Dennien for 52, with the score on 140, the middle and lower order batsman again failed to consolidate and wickets fell regularly. Andrew Kratzmann was run out for 1 (off shoe) and then Ben Gear was run out for 99 (6 x sixes). The last 6 wickets fell for 40 runs. The final total of 219 was at least 20 runs too short. This proved to be the case as Maroochydore reached the target with three overs to spare. The only TNT bowler to cause the Swans’ batsmen any problem, was Jake Dennien who ended off a good match taking 4/31.
Second Grade – The team finished the year with a narrow loss against Maroochydore at Read Park. Overnight rain had seeped onto the pitch causing a big wet patch at one end, but the other end was hard but lacking grass.
Winning the toss, TNT sent the Swans into bat hoping to exploit the soft patch early. At 1/50 off 16 it was looking ominous until veteran Reece Langan grabbed three wickets late in his spell to finish with 3/18 off 8 overs.
Nick Bennett 3/35 and Jason Toohey 3/26 bowled well in tandem to have Maroochydore 8/91 off 30 overs. Unfortunately, they ended up with 123 in the 37th over, after a few missed chances.
TNT started well before Chris Wright was out for 30. Daniel Rewald showed he has what it takes moving to 22 before missing a full one. Then wickets began to fall and with no partnership bettering 16 the team struggled to maintain any pressure and slipped from 1/56 to 7/88 and losing 9/50 to be all out for 106 with two overs to go. Captain Wright commented after the match that the team learnt a lesson about the ‘one-percenters’ – a few dropped catches, 10 more wides than the opposition who did not spill a chance and the value of every partnership from 1 to 10.
Thirds – Their game at Yandina was abandoned due to the wet pitch and outfield.
Fourths – Playing Caloundra at Dale Officer Oval the team had a solid win on a soggy outfield. Batting first TNT scored 183 off the 40 allotted overs. A solid start from Nev Kratzmann 13 and Tony Watson 26, saw the score reach 50 before the first wicket. John Williams added 10 before Michael Gallway and Deon Baker combined to put on a 108 run unbeaten partnership with Gallway finishing 54 not out, his first 50 in 14 years of senior cricket, and Deon Baker 52 not out. Caloundra could only manage 138 in reply. All five bowlers chipped in with wickets – Graham Chaplin the pick of the bowlers, 3/19 off 8, Carl Burbery 2/18, Justin Latimer 1/44, Justin Talbot 2/24 and young Tom Green amongst the wickets once again with 1/30 off 5. The game finished with 6 overs to spare and puts Fourths in second place on the one-day ladder.
