PORT City Leagues Magpies’ Tim Harris returned some remarkable twenty20 bowling figures in the team’s second match on Saturday, but unfortunately for him, it was in a losing side.
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Harris took 5-12 from four overs to skittle Macquarie Hotel for just 94 at Oxley Oval, but his teammates could only manage 90 in reply.
A six off the last ball of the innings made the scoreline closer than what it should have been, and Magpies captain Luke Jephcott had just one word to describe his team’s batting in that second match.
“We batted terribly,” he said.
“From the first innings [in the first match against Port Panthers Pirates] to the second, was shocking.”
A positive for Magpies was the bowling performance, which was at its best for both matches.
Jephcott and company restricted Pirates to 9-79 in the first match of the day.
Matt Broderick took 2-15 and Kyle Bray snared 3-11. There were two run outs and Kade Fens grabbed a couple of screamers behind the stumps.
“We fielded and bowled really well,” Jephcott said.
Jesse Schmidt made 46 not out to get the Magpies home.
Runs on the board were key on Saturday, according to Macquarie captain Josh Hyde.
He wasn’t concerned about being rolled for 94 against Magpies.
“We thought it was a 100 par deck anyway,” he said.
Wauchope RSL kept its Australia Day finals hopes alive with a couple of good victories at Andrews Park on Saturday.
RSL knocked over Camden Haven and Bonny Hills.
Jade Thompson had a great day, scoring 35 and 28 and taking three wickets with the ball.
“He’s been great for us,” skipper Matt Day said of Thompson, who came across from Tamworth.
RSL was in trouble against Camden Haven in the first match, with the scoreline at 3-12 and chasing 59.
Nathan Lyon (33 not out) and Thompson (35 not out) consolidated and led the team home.
“They really needed to bat for time, and they went above and beyond,” Day said.
“They did the job and much, much more.”
Earlier, the bowlers were tight, with Jason Blythe taking 3-9 from four overs, and Andrew Murrell 2-8 from four.
Matt Tonkin backed them up with 2-7 from his four overs.
Lyon and Thompson put on 60 for the first wicket in the second match on the way to RSL making 6-180.
“That was a super start,” Day said.
In reply, Bonnies were all out for 77.
Thompson snared three wickets, while Murrell, Tonkin and Tony Brown took two.
RSL has one twenty20 match left before Australia Day. That’s a night game against Macquarie Hotel.
A good, quick win could raise the run rate enough to get the team into the final.
“It will all come down to run rate,” Day said.
“It’s crucial to get that run rate up, if we can.”
Hyde is confident of a finals appearance if Macquarie beats Bonny Hills on Tuesday night.
Adrian Sippel comes back into the team for that match. Young keeper Fraser Carroll will make way.
Carroll has been on fire. He took seven dismissals over two matches on Saturday.
Pirates captain Shane Williams said his team didn’t score enough runs in either match, but at least they were in the hunt against the Magpies.
It wasn’t as close in the second match.
“No way at all,” he said, when asked if they were in he match.
Hyde scored a half century, and that was the key to Macca’s innings.
“He batted extremely well,” Williams said of his opposing captain.
“He timed his innings well.”
The Oxley Oval wicket was playing well, and should improve further as the season progresses.
“The deck’s really good,” Williams said.
“It played true, and gave a bit to the batsmen and the bowlers.
“It’s a really good cricket wicket at the moment.”