Sandhurst Cricket Club

Sandhurst first Eleven was rebounding from it’s first defeat of the season and with the QEO outfield still not up to scratch the game was transferred to Weeroona Oval. Sandhurst swung a later than usual change to the side with Simon Turnbull replacing Alex Trump in the side, with the intention to back it’s deep batting line up to outscore the opposition. In a baffling move at the toss of the coin in perfect batting conditions Sandhurst sent White Hills in the hope of grabbing early wickets by extracting any remaining life from the deck. 

Sandhurst made a promising start claiming three early wickets with Tim Robertson and Quinton Bentley picking up one wicket a piece in their first spells and skipper Brenton Jones chiming in with a wicket before he was struck down with a significant leg injury further depleting the Dragon attack that was already light on for bowlers with numerous bowlers sitting out the match injured and/or unavailable.

From there, things all unravelled for the Dragons, as the pitch become a batsman’s paradise and the game may as well have been moved out onto Weeroona Avenue the pitch was playing that well. White Hills then cashed in with a string of partnerships with the fourth wicket stand of 124 broken when Dylan Gibson bowling Aaron Monro for 56. Adam Hargreaves managed triple figures before Quinton Bentley claimed his second wicket leaving White Hills 5 for 211 after 60 overs.

In trying conditions and with an undermanned Sandhurst bowling attack White Hills took full advantage of the situation and bolstered the run rate with breakthroughs for the Dragons few and far between. Matt Pask claimed a wicket before another 100 run plus partnership for the 7^th wicket heaped further pain on the Dragons. With in excess of 350 on the board, three late wickets to the Dragons did little to stem the flood of runs as Travis Crouch’s two wickets in the 82^nd over and a second wicket to Tim Robertson provided little respite. Finally the onslaught was complete with White Hills 9 for 374 off 85 overs.

Still Sandhurst had stacked their side with batsmen and with batting conditions expected to be just as good for week 2, and providing Sandhurst could bat the 85 overs and manage to keep wickets in hand until after tea they still stood some chance. Sandhurst batsmen were only likely to get themselves out in these conditions and suffered an early setback with Simon Turnbull dismissed for 5 and the total nine. This bought Anthony West to the crease to join Nick Scullie and the pair had shared in some significant partnerships already this season as the pair progressed the score onto 88 before Anthony West was dismissed for 47.

Nick Scullie had taken the time to get himself in so it was unfortunate that just prior to the tea break he too played a loose shot and was dismissed with 114 on the board. Sandhurst were only 11 runs behind in the comparison for the same number of wickets after 45 overs. Sandhurst continually lost momentum through the intermittent loss of wickets and unable to get in front of the game. All batsmen managed to get a start with solid contributions from Tim Robertson 55, Matt Pask 42 and Mark Holland 27 leaving Sandhurst 8 for 269 with just 12 overs remaining.

Brenton Jones who had been forced down the order due to the week one injury added some late impetus to the innings with an unbeaten 64 aided by Dylan Gibson in a 71 run 9^th wicket stand. Before the final wicket fell with Sandhurst having 345 on the board in the 83^rd over resulting in a 29 run loss.

Tim Mcglone returned as part of the Under 17 rotation along with Patrick Brophy and Clinton Botham who joined skipper Trump as inclusions into the side, with Justin Hancock unavailable for the afternoon and Simon Turnbull (first XI), and Leigh Draper who wasn’t required to double up on this occasion. The toss would be important and it was White Hills who won and obtained first use of perfect batting conditions.

Alex Trump had steeled himself for a big game and set the tone of the day in the very first over when he had Lincoln Jacobs bowled from the third ball of the days play. Alex had a sniff and was looking dangerous with virtually every delivery again breaking through in his second over to bowl number 3 batsmen Daniel Jones and have White Hills on the back foot at 2 for 12. Alex claimed his third wicket in his fourth over when he had Mcgauchie caught at extra cover with the total just 22.

This bought ex-Dragon Daniel Larke to the crease and along with opener Ben Gardner who had seen three wickets disappear from the non-strikers end the pair began to rebuild the White Hills innings. Sandhurst pushed for further wickets and continued to apply pressure which finally told when a superb piece of fielding from Jayden Saunders virtually a lone fielder on the on-side completed a vital run out which saw the end of Gardner for 32 and the total 4 for 69.

Traviss Russell was again bowling a fine spell of bowling which was unlucky not to be rewarded and Sandhurst’s energy and tight bowling continued to keep White Hills in check. Off spinner Tim Mcglone was then introduced into the attack and hr broke a dangerous looking partnership in just his 2^nd over caught by Tom Wilson at Mid-On. Approaching tea on day 1 and with Daniel Larke unbeaten in the 40’s Tim Mcglone tossed one up and Daniel made the mistake of hitting it to the bloke with two of the “Stickiest hands” in the BDCA Traviss Russell who took a blinder behind square to dismiss Larke and save himself a concussion from a scorching shot that would have clocked him between the eyes had his hands not stopped it claiming a crucial blow and leaving White Hills 6 for 112 from 40 overs at tea.

Sandhurst could sense an opportunity to restrict White Hills to a low score in perfect batting conditions as Trump was introduced straight after the tea break and it didn’t take long for him to be back in the thick of things claiming a bowled to give him four for the match and reduce White Hills to 7 for 121 in the 48^th over. White Hills skipper Brendan Slattery batted well around the tail as the Hillies attempted to give themselves a target that was defendable. Adding 26 for the 8^th wicket before Tim Mcglone claimed his third wicket in a lengthy spell that was most impressive 3 for 33 from 14 overs.

Alex Trump broke a troublesome 9^th wicket stand of 46 with Tim Mcglone taking the catch to hand Trumpy a well-deserved five wicket haul and then in his following over a sharp caught behind was snared by keeper Leigh Mcdonald to end White Hills innings on 194 in the 69^th over. It was innings dominated by the respective captains with Slattery finishing 42 unbeaten for White Hills and Trump finishing with 6 for 42 from 18.2 overs in a gut busting spell on a flat deck in warm conditions.

Sandhurst then tried their fourth different opening combination of Pat Brophy and Will Horan who had a nervous 13 over period to see the side through and maintain Sandhurst’s position of strength on the game. Brophy and Horan looked very assured as the Sandhurst players and officials on the sidelines counted down the overs until stumps on day 1. It was an elated Brophy and Horan who headed for the sanctuary of the sheds at great pace having removed 27 runs from the total required for victory.

As had been demonstrated in the morning, a side need only a sniff and the whole game could change, so it was crucial Brophy and Horan built on their good start from the previous week and the pair started cautiously before the partnership begun to blossom and the scoring became easier.

The pair bought up their 50 run partnership and surged on to 68 before Brophy was the first man out caught and bowled for 24 from 98 deliveries. Will Horan continued to grow in confidence and pick off the loose deliveries with increasing comfort before he played a bad shot and was bowled for 47, just shy of a maiden Dragon 50.

Alex Trump fell soon after bowled with the total on 87 and all of a sudden with the run rate slowing Craig Burn strode to the crease in a rich vein of batting form and started aggressively as only he knows how, starting his scoring with consecutive boundaries before he too fell victim to spin caught behind for 9 and have Sandhurst 4 for 101 with the game still very much in the balance given Sandhurst’s batting frailties and inexperience in the middle and lower order.

Jayden Saunders spent some time in the middle and added 20 of the 40 runs scored whilst he was at the crease before he was caught behind off Daniel Larke just prior to the tea break - Sandhurst 5 for 130 at tea from 63 overs (50 for the day), still needing 65 runs from 35 overs.

Traviss Russell and Clinton Botham then combined for what would be both’s best contribution with the bat in a long time to swing the match once and for all in the Dragons direction adding 67 for the 6^th wicket before Traviss Russell took the wrong fielder on from the boundary and was caught short for 43. It was left to “Beefy” Botham to score the winning runs with Leigh Mcdonald scampering back for a 3^rd run to secure the points for the Dragons. Feeling it would be a waste to undo his fine work to date “Beefy” pushed on and remained unbeaten on 39 from 153 deliveries to be one of the sides most important players, Sandhurst compiling 7 for 216 from 98 overs to win by 22 runs in a huge turn around from their previous batting displays.

Match Summary: White Hills 194 (Trump 6/42, Mcglone 3/33) Lost to Sandhurst 7/216 (Horan 47, Russell 43, Botham 39no)

The Key: None of the stats make good reading, despite bowling a side out in 40 overs, and being gifted 30 bonus runs with the bat, Sandhurst had a 2nd top score of 10.

Man of the Match: There was a number of fine contributors, however Alex Trump's 6/42 on a batsman's paradise. Alex managed 6 wickets in 18 overs when it took the opposition 98 overs to claim 7 Sandhurst wickets.

The Wheel of Fortune that is third XI selection again spun up some changes with Marty McDonnell and Derek Robertson rotated out, along with Clinton Botham and Patrick Brophy who both received elevation into the seconds, in came Justin Hancock, Dave Lowther & Tim Knapman and the returning Glenn Trew.

White Hills too were strengthened by regular A Grade bowler Glenn Roulston so captain Jeff Kay was faced with a tough choice after winning the toss with Roulston unavailable on the first day. That said Sandhurst were asked to bowl first in placid conditions. The new ball pairing of Matt Felini and Dave Hunter opened up and White Hills made a positive start getting to 36 without loss after 12 overs.

Skipper Trew then threw the ball to Justin Hancock as first change bowler with immediate success after Justin claimed a wicket with the fourth ball of his first over. In fact Justin sparked a collapse of 4 for 11 in 6 overs with himself claiming 3 wickets and Dave Hunter picking up Skipper Kay to have White Hills 4 for 49 after 18.

White Hills were then able to rebuild with successive partnerships of 32 and 25 before Justin Hancock claimed his 4^th wicket and a run out to Matt Felini leaving White Hills 6 for 106 after 31 overs. With Trew keen to kill off the White Hills innings as soon as possible he bowled all of his front line bowlers out early with Dave Hunter 1/28 off 10, Justin Hancock 4/42 off 10 and Matt Felini 2/19 off 9.4 overs all set to finish their allocations inside the first 40 overs. Despite some minor resistance the White Hills innings was bought to a close in the 39^th over for 122 after Matt Felini claimed the 9^th wicket and Glenn Roulston was absent and unable to bat.

This target appeared well below par on a pitch that was offering little to the bowlers and White Hills would surely require early wickets if they were to obtain any momentum going into week 2 of the match. It was Two Trew who opened the innings with a tricky 8 over stretch to negotiate through until stumps on day 1. Sandhurst managed just two scoring shots off the bat in those 8 overs but it was effective nullification of the new ball and safety for the Trews at 0 for 9 at the close of play on day one.

Opening proceedings on day 2, the Sandhurst openers were faced with Glenn Roulston available to spearhead a revitalised White Hills attack. Maybe it was a bad omen for the Dragons when brother Dean came jogging off the ground at the end of the first over having forgotten the most valuable piece of equipment that a batsmen requires - his protector. After that slight mishap Dean and Glenn or “Two Trew” again appeared in little trouble as they nudged the score along as the overs from White Hills front line pace bowlers ticked away. Whilst Sandhurst were scoring right on two an over with 10 wickets in hand the six points appeared to be heading to the Dragons. Young left armer Nick Wharton finally snared the breakthrough after Dean Trew was bowled for 18 with the total on 57. Glenn Trew who had been the more free scoring of the brothers along with Bryden Mcfarlane then negotiated the period through to drinks with Sandhurst 1 for 72 with 25 overs remaining to score just a further 51 runs.

First ball after the drinks break Wharton struck again removing Glenn Trew bowled for 33 for his first dismissal of the season and triggered a monumental collapse that up until then had not been on the cards. The loss of Trew was followed by Mcfarlane who was Roulston’s only victim in a spell of 1/16 from 10 overs and then the loss of middle order mainstays Draper and Felini in the same over with the total on 81 in the 38^th over created further drama.

Panic then set in as the remainder of Sandhurst’s middle and lower order succumbed to pressure that had only been bought upon by themselves with poor running between the wickets, poor shot selection and an inability to turn the strike over left them virtually no chance as only Keith Cloke offered any resistance with a gritty 16 before he became spinner Burn’s 4^th wicket and virtually seal a remarkable turnaround for the Hillies. Sandhurst had dug themselves so far into a hole that the run rate required began to approach a run a ball when Courtney Cornell became Burn’s 5^th victim and finish Sandhurst’s total on 108 in the 54^th over - 15 runs short of victory.

Match Summary: White Hills 122 (Hancock 4/42, Felini 2/19) defeated Sandhurst 108 (G Trew 33)

Man of The Match: J Hancock 4/42

The Key: After dismissing the opposition in 40 overs and despite cruising at 1/72, Sandhurst lost 9/36 to lose the match.

Goat Of The Round: Club secretary under-catering at the Sandhurst Cup with spirits sold out well before the party was over.

The Road Ahead: It almost takes a university degree to follow the draw and venues of the BDCA fixture but if I am reading it correctly the Firsts play BUCC's at Harry Trot, The Seconds play BUCC's At Weeroona in on dayers, whilst the 3rds play day 1 of a 2 day game against Strathfieldsaye at Tannery Lane.