Almanac (Local) Cricket – Round 12: West Warrion v Tomahawk Creek

 

 

VIEW: Shane Kent ready to bat with Jamie Beale.

 

Another big match up against a team sitting inside the finals set the stage for our clash with Tomahawk Creek.

 

Another absolute belter of a day at Warrion, another very good pitch prepared. This time we were batting first. 

 

Opening the bowling for Tomahawk Creek was Simon Day and off-spinner Matthew Tull.

 

The top four leading wicket takers in the Division were playing in this match with Tulle (21 at 10.71), Xav Prime (18 at 9.06) Ethan Coverdale (18 at 13.06) and Simon Day (17 at 16.06).

 

It was clear that a big score was going to be crucial. We didn’t get off to the best of starts with Damo Wetemans making 3, bowled by Tulle. Charlie Morrissy came in at 3 and looked really solid, combining well with opener Craig Kerr. Bar a mix-up which saw Charlie nearly run out the two gave us a solid foundation at the top of the innings.

 

With the near run out, Craig called Charlie through, there was hesitation, and the throw went to Tomahawk’s wicket-keeper Shaun Oborne, but he dropped the ball before he broke the bails. Morrissy was unlucky went he eventually had to depart after being bowled by Jarryd Mahoney. A ball back of a length kept low. Morrissy went back to pull but couldn’t jam down on it quick enough and was gone for 18 from 28 balls.

 

Craig was the next to depart for 25 runs snicked off by the bowling of Russ Farquharson. It brought Primey and Liistro to the crease together with the score at 3-55. The two combined for 84, in some great batting to watch. Primey was in his usual mood, always looking to score and push the game along. He was walking down the wicket at a number of bowlers, hitting the ball straight. Primey ended up with 51 from 56 balls with five fours, while Liistro made 50 from 66. Liistro batted right through to the final over of the match. 

 

Shane Kent was bowled trying to push the game along, and Max Hutch stumped after dancing down the wicket to Tulle. Jamie Beale combined well with Liistro to keep the score moving along with 19* not out from 23 balls.

 

Dave Bennett and I were the next two in line to bat and had our pads on ready to go. Thinking we were both not required with one over to go and Liistro and Jamie ticking the score along nicely, Dave said “You keep your gear on Pills, you go in next.”

 

It just so happened that Liistro went out on the fifth ball of Simon Day’s over, so I went out there with one ball remaining. Simon then bowled an inswinging yorker at the stumps and I was bowled. 0 (1). The score 8-194. A solid total but if Tomahawk’s top order bats got going it was chaseable. 

 

 

ARVO TEA: Our MVP Jo Hutch preparing the afternoon tea spread. 

 

The arvo teas have been a massive hit, especially with Liistro’s son Oscar who loves the scones and cakes.

 

Former Warrion premiership player Darryn Murrell opened the batting alongside Kaiden Mahoney who was fresh off a ton against Simpson.

 

Tomahawk got off to a pretty nice start. Murrell played a lovely shot off my bowling over mid-off. He scored 10 from the sixth over with a couple of really nice shots. It looked ominous with there being no clear avenue for wickets to come through. Darcy Dwyer came on to replace Covers.

 

Given Covers is quicker than Darcy, we opt for a deep fine leg for Covers, and a short-fine leg for Darc. I was fielding there in between bowling my overs, but I must have been napping because I was at deep fine leg for Darc’s first ball to Murrell. 

 

Darcy is usually a reliable line and length operator outside off stump.

 

His first ball was a drag down on the hip of Murrell, and I think it even surprised him. Murrell played a hook, top edged it and it went straight down my throat at deep-fine leg (where I wasn’t supposed to be fielding). Murrell couldn’t believe it, he let out a shriek in disbelief when he saw he had picked me out. I initially thought it wasn’t going to carry to me, and I went charging in. Then I thought I had ran underneath it. In the end the ball smacked into my chest, and I clenched it with my hands. A fluke of a way to get the first breakthrough. 

 

Kaiden then became the key wicket as they fell around him. Farquharson chipped Liistro’s spin to Primey at mid-off. Kaiden was sweating on anything straight smoking the ball through the mid-off region, even hitting the stumps on two occasions. He eventually departed on 39 from 62 balls with the score at 90.

 

Three wickets fell while the score was on 90. John Medley bowled by Primey. Kaiden bowled by Covers. Brayden Murrell bowled by Covers. A further two fell on 94, with Tim Crabbe trapped lbw by Covers, and Jayson Murrell caught by Max Hutch off the bowling of Primey.

 

I was having a rest off the ground after my spell of bowling when captain Liistro ran off the ground. He was cramping after his batting innings and said I was in charge for the final two wickets.

 

Simon Day was batting in these silly Oakley sports sunglasses. He is a colourful character, and he looked quite the part out in the middle.

 

He was eventually trapped lbw by Darcy Dwyer after hitting a huge six over mid-wicket. Jarrod Mahoney was the final wicket to fall snicked off by Craig Kerr.

 

Covers was again sensational with 3-19 from 8 overs, Primey 2-8 from 4, Liistro 2-21 from six, and Darcy Dwyer 2-36 all contributed.

 

Another very solid win and Colac losing to Stoneyford saw us jump back into the top spot on the ladder. With two rounds to go we sit on top, Irrewarra second and now Colac third. 

 

Our final round match in a fortnight against Irrewarra looms as a massive finish to the home and away season.

 

ALL SMILES: Liistro dominating a 1v2 wrestle with Max Hutchinson and Charlie Morrissy.

 

More from Liam McCullagh can be read Here.

 

 

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