Match Results
Round 7 Giraffe Report Vs Golden Square
January 26th & February 2nd 2008
1st XI @ QEO Bendigo
Following on from the disappointment of the 2nd week wash out when in such a strong position against BUCC's the previous week Sandhurst went in to the all important game against Golden Square full of confidence. After winning the toss Sandhurst went on the offensive and elected to bat on a wicket that had seen a lot of cricket throughout the week with Country Week XChampionships being played there the past week.
Golden Square immediately applied pressure to the Sandhurst top order and Mark Holland was first to go bowled for two and when the in-form Nick Scullie (seven) and Joel Schneider (six) feel shortly after sandhurst again found themselves needing to rebuild after a shaky start. With Golden Square's bowlers on target and runs hard to come by it was 3 for 21 at the first drinks break off 20 overs. Tiim Robertson and Brock Fletcher attempted to steady the ship, and by occupying the crease aimed to simply survive and then lift the scoring rate once settled. Brock and Tim added 40 for the 4th wicket before Brock was caught behind for 13. Anthony West (one) fell in the next over and Sandhurst were 5/64 at tea from 44 overs.
The hope at tea was that the life in the wicket may disappear and if Sandhurst could retain some wickets in hand launch an onslaught late in the day against a tiring Square attack. Unfortunately this was never possible as wickets continued to fall regularly after the tea break, when kecky fell for 8, Tim Robertson who had been the backbone of the innings for 36 and then pasky (four) fell and Sandhurst were 8 down with just 86 on the board in the 56th over. The tail again fought valliantly with Nathan O'Neill (21no) again proving his value with the bat as he combined with Geoff Mclean (six) for a 16 run 9th wicket partnership and then a 25 run stand with Tim Williams (13) before the innings was ended with 127 on the board in the 74th over.
This left a testing 8 over period for Golden Square to negotiate and if Sandhurst could make some in-roads prior to stumps, the task the following week could prove quite trecherous for the Bulldogs. Unfortunately for the Dragons the openers looked quite solid in seeing their side through to 0/12 at Stumps on day 1.
If Day 1 had been dominated by Golden Square, then the Dragons needed the ball to again dominate bat to get themselves back into the game. The old saying that regardless of the total runs on the board still means the opposition still has to get them was the message drilled into the boys prior to the start of the day. Tim Williams got the ball rolling for the Dragons dismissing Scott Johnson LBW with 19 on the board this sparked a mini-collapse for Square, as Tim Robertson then had Leigh Haw sharply caught by Anthony West with 20 on the board, and when he removed Dave Hickman caught behind in the next over Square had lost 3 for 2 in 4 overs.
Tim Robertson was in the middle of incredible spell of bowling and wasn't finished yet as he drew Square skipper Phil Hetherington into a false stroke and was caught by Joel Schneider 3 to have Square 4 for 24. Tim Robertson finsihed his spell with an incredible 3 for 16 from 17 overs. The pressure continued to build on Golden Square's batsmen and it resulted in Marcus Mckern gifting us a run out well executed by Nathan O'Neill to have Square 5 for 40. Mark Keck's accurate bowling was finally rearded picking up Jason Johnson caught behind for 2 and Square was 6 for 48. The trouble with a such a small target to defend for the Dragons was that just one batsman and some one to stick with him would blow the game out of the water and thats what happened as the Dangerous Grant Connelly made batting look effortless in blasting 114 from just 141 balls and combined with Dean Langley for a 138 run partnership to secure victory for The Bulldogs.
Once that partnership was broken and the game decided Sandhurst had little trouble mopping up the tail with Nathan O'Neill chiming in with 3 for 30 and a run out to Joel Schneider as Golden Square were dismissed for 202 in the 80th Over.
Sandhurst would be left to rue their poor batting performance on the 1st day of the game as it showed even another 50 or 60 runs would have proven most difficult to chase down. Whilst all the bowlers contributed, Tim Robertson was clear standout for Man of the Match top scoring with 36 and a most impressive 3 for 21 from 20 overs.
2nd XI @ Wade Street
It had been a little over 10 months since since these two teams had clashed in a classic semi final at the same venue. How times had changed whilst the Sandhurst side was barely recognisable in personnel with just four of last years successful side playing in the 2007/08 rematch, whilst Golden Square were enjoying a similarly successful season to last year on top and undefeated. The selection of the Dragons side remained uncertain right up until the pre game warm ups.
Dylan Gibson was elevated to open and along with Trav Crouch made a solid and positive start. Dylan who had ensured the Square players endured a winter of nightmares with his Man of the Match 75 in the semi final could not repeat the heroics this time receiving a questionable LBW for 12 with the score on 29. Trav Crouch and Bard Fawcett moved the score beyod 50, before the Wade Street LBW curse again struck Sandhurst with Tarv Crouch adjudged LBW for 30 and when Fawcett was bowled without an addition to the score Sandhurst were in trouble.
Golden Square's bowlers bowled incredibly tight and at no stage allowed Sandhurst to break free and boost the run rate with only the occasssion lapse in the field and overthrow providing a slight release of the pressure valve. Alex Trump and Gavin James battled manfully through to tea where Square thanks to an extrardinary over rate completed 48 overs by the tea break to have Sandhurst 3 for 91.
Sandhurst needed to lift the run rate after teaand just when it appeared Gav and Trumpy were building a partnership Gav was caught in the gully for a patient 29, Terry Scullie who had received a late call up from himself to double up was elevated up the order to boost the run rate but didnt com off as he was caught in the covers for 5,and when innings top scorer Trumpy fell for 34 sandhurst were looking shaky at 6 for 129. Every run was invaluable from the tale and cheered with gusto by team and supporters from the sidelines but eventually came to a close for 165 in the 80th Over. A sign of Golden Square's disciplined bowling was that they bowled a total of 22 maidens in Sandhurst's innings with one eight run over the most expensive of the innings.
Sandhurst had two overs at Golden Square at the end of the first day but couldnt snare a wicket as Square went to stumps 0 for 0. To stand a chance of toppling the undefeated Doggies, Sandhurst needed early wickets, and Craig Burn provided the perfect start getting Aaron Bentley caught behind for 5 with the socre on 7. Sandhurst continued to apply pressure, but couldnt get the breakthroughs they needed and it took a mix up in running between the wickets for Alex Trump to pounce and run out the dangerous Jamie Fitzgibbon with the total on 78. Terry Scullie bowled an impressive spell without luck as it appeared only spontaneous muscle spasms in the arm of the umpire prevented him from securing LBW on a couple of occassions. Trump clearly suffering severe exhaustion and dehydration from his marathon 4 over spell with the ball then endeared himself further to the Golden Square crowd by dropping what could only be described as a big bag of $h!t.
It mattered little as Josh Baird batted superbly to compile 158 and in the process see Square past the 165 required in the 52nd over of the innings. He was finally dismissed when Chooka took a good catch off the bowling of Beefy Botham (1/37). In searing heat with the result already secured, Golden Square made Sandhurst toil away all afternoon and began to bat with increasing freedom as the bowlers and fielders wilted in the heat. Alex again explored all options as a total of nine bowlers were used in total in an attempt to pick up wickets.
Sandhurst did show some figghting spirit in the form of Brock Gibson''s 2nd spell of bowling as he claimed 3 wickets in nine balls to finish with 3 for 32 in 10 Overs as Golden Square finished the day 7 for 346. Man of the Match wasa tough decision with such a disappointing result but for his application with the bat to top score with 34 and "Marathon Spell" with the ball Skipper Alex Trump secured Man of The Match.
3rd XI @ QEO.
It was also make or break time for the 3rd XI in their quest for the finals, as they needed to win their final 3 games to guarantee a finals birth, and faced a tough test against top of the table Golden Square in Round 7. Trewy won the toss and liked what he saw for the bowlers in a wicket square that had been used every day during the week and aimed to exploit this by bowling first.
The decision paid immediate dividends as Terry Scullie collected a wicket caught behind by Draper in just the 4th over with four on the board. Josh Ennis bowling first change bounced back from a shaky first over to secure the wicket of Daniel Nalder LBW with the total on 39. Adam Baird was next to go picking out Josh Ennis at Square leg off the bowling of Simon Turnbull. Ex sandhurst player and now opposing skipper Mark Blabey fell to a well conceived plan caught at short third man for 11 off Keith Cloke with an even 100 on the board in the 41st over.
Aaon Sims rode his luck early on to post the only half century of the innings in compiling 56, before he was next man out also falling to Keith Cloke caught in the deep by Dave Hunter. Golden Square were then never allowed from then on to bolster the run rate as two wickets to Terry Scullie in his 2nd spell and a well executed run out in the deep from Dean Trew had Square finish 8 for 142 from their 50 overs. Terry Scullie (3/26) and Keith Cloke (2/20) the multiple wicket takers.
Whilst 142 may not seem much of a total to chase, Golden Square had conceeded in excess of 140 only once this season and a strong bowling line up and lush outfield making boundaries near impossible Sandhurst would have it's work cut out for it to reel in the target. Sandhurst openers started solidly and seemed to unsettle Golden Square with some sharp singles to rotate the strike. Unfortunately Keith Cloke didnt make the most of a let off the previous over when hge was dropped after skying a shot to slips and was first man out caught at square leg for nine with 26 on the board.
Bryden McFarlane came to the crease to join Trerwy and the pair did a fine job in pushing the score along and maintaining wickets in hand. Unfortunately diaster struck in the 24th over when Dean Trew qho had made his way to 26 was well caught at point. The after drinks session became a procession of wickets sparked by Bryden McFarlane's run out for 14. Wickets fell continuously from there on as only Terry Scullie made double figures in compiling an unbeaten 13, and from such a promising position mid innings the side had crumbled to lose their last 9 wickets for just 27 runs in 16 overs and a total of just 80 on the board.
Terry Scullie had a fine all-round game claiming 3 for 26 and a solid 13 not out to claim Man of the Match.
So, a disappointing round all-round for the Dragons, who must bounce back immediately against Huntly North Bendigo (1sts & 3rds at Strauch Reserve Huntly) and the 2nds return to Weeroona Oval.
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