By Randall Woodley
TEWANTIN-NOOSA CRICKET
The highlight of the Tewantin-Noosa Cricket Club’s four matches last weekend was Cody Wright taking five wickets in the Third Grade match against Coolum. On the final day of the two-day matches the Fourths had a good win, the Thirds tied their match and the Seconds and Firsts went down in first innings losses.
FIRSTS – Playing Glasshouse Rangers at Read Park, the team, with five players away on representative duties in Toowoomba, ended up 23 runs short in their run chase. On day one the Rangers had compiled a big first innings score of 279 and TNT finished on 1/75 in reply. Day two began with another 205 runs to score and the batsmen needing to stay at the crease and build the innings. Losing a couple of wickets early did not help but slowly, throughout the day the score climbed at three runs an over. However, the Rangers kept the pressure on and many of the Thunder batsmen, after reaching double figures lost their wickets. Eventually late in the day there were over 50 runs needed off the last wicket and Rowdy Thomson (8) and Robbie Payton (41 not out) nearly achieved the impossible, putting on 36 runs before the final wicket fell on 256. The other batsmen who performed well during the day were Tristan Griffin, at the crease for two hours for his 32, and the boy from Buckinghamshire, James Beesley in his first innings for the club scored a valuable and patient 27. There were a number of mid-teen scores and high-schooler Darcy Morgan in his initial First Grade game compiled a solid 16.
SECONDS – On day one playing Glasshouse at their home ground, they scored 252. Best of the TNT bowlers were Will Gear 4/44 off 12 overs and Mitch Langan 1/8 off 4. The day finished with TNT at 2/51. Starting day two the team lost a wicket quite early and after that the wickets started to tumble with only two other batsmen making over 20 – Reece Langan with 27 and Kym Sims 20 not out. The team finished at 9/131, well short of the target. Glasshouse batted again and lost five wickets before close of play. Kym Sims and Reece Langan took two wickets each.
THIRDS – What a day when the team managed to achieve an unlikely tie against Coolum at Dale Officer Oval. Day one ended with TNT all out for 203. Top scorers were Giles Cunningham 67, Kent Officer 37 and Steve Gallagher 24. Day two commenced with Coolum at 0/30 and from then on saw the game ebb and flow all day with both teams taking the ascendency at various times. Some really good tight bowling early saw a slow run rate but Kieran Dunning came on second change and dismissed both openers. A wicket each to Dave Baker, Kent Officer and Cody Wright had Coolum 5/110 at tea. After tea Coolum put on their best partnership of the innings and late in the day they were comfortable on 7/197. Then Cody picked up a crucial wicket to have them 8/197. Coolum scratched away to level the scores before Cody cleaned up the last two wickets for the tie. Well done to Cody taking 5/57. All the bowlers toiled hard, bowling tightly and often without much luck. The other multiple wicket taker was Kieran Dunning who finished with 3/26. A good result to pinch the tie at the death. It was great for the older players to see the young guys putting in and showing improvement and doing so well.
FOURTHS – Playing Caloundra, day two started with the match evenly poised – a 124-run lead and eight wickets to take. Justin Latimer continued his good form from last week taking the first wicket of the day in his second over. He finishing with 2/44. Naveen Chand bowled without success but Luke Anstey chipped in with two more wickets, cleaning up the tail to finish with 3/39. Craig Moore was inspired behind the stumps taking three catches. However, it was Graham “Chappy” Chaplin and skipper Justin Talbot who put the game in the bag with very tidy spells shutting down the scoring before Talbot claimed 2/16 off six and Chappy, on a hat-trick in his eigth, ensuring victory with 3/13 off nine. The team’s first win of the season secured with a first innings win by 63 runs. Thanks to Tom Green and Harry Ladd for answering the call when the fourths looked like struggling to put a team on the field. Great effort lads. Look forward to seeing you play more seniors this year. An important first win to keep the team within reach of the top of the ladder with Yandina at home next week.
