Round 4 vs. Eaglehawk
17/11/07 & 24/11/07
Giraffe Report Round 4 Vs Eaglehawk November 17th & 24th
1st XI @ Canterbury Park
Things had not gone to plan to date for Sandhurst CC in season 2007/2008, with the 1st XI still winless after 2 games things didn’t get any easier with a match against top of the table Eaglehawk at Eaglehawk. With Mark Holland's unavailability, Brad Fawcett was given a 1st XI debut as reward for some consistent performances with the bat in the only change to the side.
Kecky again lost the toss, and Eaglehawk were given 1st use of a flat batting deck in what started out as fine conditions but quickly took a turn for the worse in a day that was interrupted by 5 rain delays. Tim Williams was again the man to get the breakthrough picking up Matt Ford with the score on 31. Nathan O'Neill chimed in with a wicket early in his spell to have Eaglehawk 2 for 47 after 20 Overs. The conditions and continual disruptions allowed neither team to settle, Tim Williams was again rewarded for some tight bowling to claim a 2nd wicket as Eaglehawk finished 3/105 off 52 Overs when stumps was called.
Day 2 started with the early removal of Linc Mcrae who was run out by Ben Leed, but things became tough for the bowlers from there on, in good batting conditions and chasing quick runs Eaglehawk moved the scoreboard along at a rapid rate, Tim Williams was again the man to come through for the Dragons claiming two more wickets including Matt Fitt for 140 as Eaglehawk finished 6 for 266 declared off 82 Overs leaving Sandhurst just 55 Overs to reach the target. Tim Williams was the only multiple wicket taker for the Dragons finishing a marathon performance of 4 for 79 in 27 Overs. Nathan O'Neill was the only other successful bowler with 1 for 45 from 13.
If Sandhurst were any chance of chasing down the target a good start was essential, unfortunately the top 3 batsmen were all back in the pavilion inside 10 Overs leaving Sandhurst in trouble at 3 for 8. Kecky (17) and Tim Robertson (18) added 31 for the 4th wicket before both were dismissed in quick succession to leave Sandhurst at 5 for 48 with 32 Overs remaining in the day. Anthony West (25) again got some runs and along with Joel Schneider added 48 for the 5th wicket before the former was run out with the score on 96 in the 39th over. That was the last look in Eaglehawk had as Joel Schneider (66no) and Brad Fawcett (39no) on debut steered Sandhurst through to stumps with an unbroken stand of 82 as Sandhurst finished 6 for 178 as the match finished in a draw.
There were a couple of stand out performances including Tim Williams with the ball and Joel Schneider and Brad Fawcett with the bat. In a tight decision Man of the Match was awarded to Joel Schneider for his innings under immense pressure to earn Sandhurst their first points of the season.
2nd XI @ Weeroona Oval
Sandhurst looked for a chance to atone for the previous game's poor batting performance when they took on Eaglehawk at Weeroona Oval. Trumpy did the right thing and won the toss and gave our batsmen 1st use of a good batting deck. Shortly after play commenced the weather started rolling in, and openers Trav Crouch & Leigh Kinniburgh did well to see us through to 0/25 in a dozen Overs before the first of a handful of rain delays set in. Play resumed 90 minutes later after an early lunch was taken, and Kinners & Crouchy dug into see off the new ball adding 44 in 21 Overs before Kinners was LBW for 8. The in form Dylan Gibson then came to the crease and along with Crouchy took the attack to the Eaglehawk bowlers.
The pair added 64 for the 2nd wicket, before Trav Crouch who until then had played a chanceless innings was caught sharply at slip for 69. When Trav Russell was snapped up at gully the next ball Sandhurst were in danger of undoing the foundations the top order had laid. From there it was a tight contest between bat and ball in difficult conditions for both batting and bowling with the numerous weather interruptions, Dylan contributed a handy 39 before he was dismissed with the score on 134. Pasky made a promising start but when he fell for 23, Sandhurst were 5 for 151 in the 55th over with 1 hour remaining in the days play.
Gavin James batting at six looked solid as a rock under intense pressure with fielders crowding the bat. Gav and Alex Trump both patiently waited for the bad balls adding 27 for the 6th wicket before Alex was dismissed with the score on 180. Gav (32no) and Matt Hall then saw us safely through to stumps at 6/196 off 72 Overs.
Sandhurst entered Day 2 in the box seat, for as long as they remained batting they could control the run chase that Eaglehawk would be left to win the game. Gavin James continued on from his solid start the previous week advancing to before he was taken by a sharp catch for 44, and when the last 3 wickets fell for just 9 runs Eaglehawk were left with 224 required to win from 72 Overs.
224 at 3 an over would take some defending in warm batsmen friendly conditions at Weeroona on Day 2, Eaglehawk made a solid start before Trumpy claimed ex Dragon Dave Ford LBW with the score on 35. Matt Hall then joined in the party claiming 2 wickets to add to his impressive start to the season with the ball to leave Eaglehawk 3 for 65. Eaglehawk batsmen Tony Mcqueen and Cory Jacobs then threatened to take the game away from the Dragons as they saw their side to tea and beyond. The introduction of Brock Gibson proved a masterstroke, Brock had Mcqueen caught at short mid on by Trav Crouch, then bowled the inform Anthony Dennis for 0, and all of a sudden Eaglehawk were 5 for 130.
Brother Dylan then bowled a superb spell of spin bowling, he was rewarded with a caught and bowled and was unlucky not to finish with more wickets than the 1/18 he finished with. Brock was not finished there, as he again got through Eaglehawk's batsmen's defence in bowling innings top scorer Cory Jacobs for 59 to leave Sandhurst in control at 7 for 149 with Eaglehawk needing 75 runs and Sandhurst needing 3 wickets in the remaining 20 Overs. Sandhurst pressed and pressed but were met with stubborn resistance from Eaglehawk's lower order before Matt Hall picked up 2 quick wickets to finish with the best of the figures with 4 for 52 from 17 Overs. Eaglehawk weren't giving up without a fight, but it was left to Alex Trump to score a direct hit run out to secure victory for the Dragons as Eaglehawk were dismissed for 198 in the 66th over.
Man of The Match was again difficult, with several players putting their hand up, Crouchy's 69, Dylan Gibson's 39 and 1 for 18, Gavin James 44, and Matt Hall's 4 for 52. In a close decision Man of The Match went to Brock Gibson for claiming #/28 including Eaglehawk’s 3 key batsmen.
3rd XI @ Canterbury Park
Sandhurst 3rds were faced with turning things around for a club which to date remained winless at Junior & Senior level. Bolstered by the inclusion of Mark Holland, Trewy won the toss looking to make first use of the superb batting conditions. Things didn’t start well, with the early loss of Keith Cloke with the score on 1 sharply caught at short leg in the 3rd over. From their Sandhurst dominated, they put Eaglehawk on the back foot with sensible aggressive batting through Dean Trew and Simon Turnbull. The pair moved the score to 88 in the 20th over before Trewy was dismissed for 42. Mark Holland then came to the crease and dispatched the ball to all corners of the ground and beyond, Sandhurst looked capable of posting a massive total before Tipper was dismissed for 46, and when Drapes (2) and Dutchy Holland (60) were dismissed soon after Sandhurst's fantastic start looked capable of unraveling.
With 16 Overs still left to bat, the situation called for some sensible batting, and it was Leigh McDonald who led the way, ably assisted by Dave Hunter (12no) Leigh was dismissed in the 49th over for a well compiled 31. Sandhurst completed their 50 Overs with an imposing 8/239.
In control for the 1st time all season, Sandhurst did all the right things in the field, to ensure the result was never in doubt, they bowled tightly, they caught well and they applied pressure in the field and made sure Eaglehawk never had a sniff. Trewy started the ball rolling with a run out with the score on 7, and when Tipper gobbled a chance from the dangerous Dave Read off Josh Ennis Eaglehawk were 2/9 in the 8th over. Courtney Cornell then broke up a 50 run partnership removing the dangerous Cameron King with the score on 59. Requiring 6 an over for the final 30 Overs the pressure finally told as Leigh McDonald managed consecutive run outs to leave Eaglehawk 5 for 84 at the half way stage. Marty McDonnell followed up with a sharp catch off Tipper to remove Eaglehawk coach Rob Clough for 33.
Sandhurst continued the pressure as Clokey (2/6) Leigh McDonald (1/6) and a 4th run out of the innings executed by Trewy finished Eaglehawk off for 131 in 40 Overs.
The win was as impressive as it was comprehensive in by far the team’s most complete performance of the season and secured Sandhurst CC its first points for the season. Man of The Match went to Leigh McDonald who's all-round performance of 31, 1 wicket and 2 run outs stood out amongst a group of superb individual efforts.
Energised by taking 2 and a half wins from 3 against Eaglehawk, Next week sees Sandhurst face QEO co-tenants Bendigo in Round 5 of the BDCA.
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