Hollymount Park - Having bundled Corrimal out for 81 the week prior, Northern Districts picked up from where they left off with the hope of gaining a lead in quick time. In fact, Captains orders were to pass Corrimal and declare by the first drinks break.
Geordie Crawford (15) and Ean Martin (22) started soundly but began to find quick scoring tough on a deteriorating pitch. Realizing the task at hand they began to open their shoulders as Martin found the first boundary with a lofted drive over cover. Crawford was completely untroubled but having to up the ante played a slightly uppish cover drive that was brilliantly intercepted by young Coso. The wicket brought Lee Turner (14*) to the crease as Martin was finding his groove with a number of three's through both sides of the wicket.
Still runs were hard to come by as Martin perished trying to go over midwicket, a top edge that was taken in the slip cordon. At 3/53 the Butchers weren't in any real danger but the two established men were gone as Michael Doig (44*) joined Turner to negotiate the pitch. There were a couple plays and misses but an off drive and pull for four by Doig signalled the intent. Turner settled into the role of finding gaps, rotating strike and was troubled only once as an edge was put down low at first slip. Northern Districts bowlers would have taken mental note. On the stroke of drinks, the target still six runs away; Doig tried to pull a short ball that caught an edge and ballooned away to short fine leg. The keeper tried in vain to get there but ended up over running it and therefore no further loss was suffered.
Captain Mick Allen gave the batsmen a further four overs to get as many in front as possible, Doig taking particular liking to the leg spinner by sweeping a couple boundaries and finally a couple more off the young quick at the other end. Turner was comfortable at the other end, a 56 run partnership shared before the innings was declared, 30 in front with just under five sessions to bowl at the Cougars.
Wanting quick wickets the opening bowlers of Rob Sheeley (2/13) and Graeme Sismey (3/25) obliged by having Corrimal crumble to 5/19 at one stage. They each rattled timber of both opening bats before Sheeley went on to lure the first innings top scorer into finding Doig perfectly placed on the boundary. When Crawford ran out Hunter who failed to get back in his crease during an LBW appeal things looked like it couldn't go any better for the Butchers. However, the wickets dried up as the Corrimal middle order dug in admirably. The score had moved along past 50, with vital minutes being eaten before the ball was tossed to surprise wicket taking recruit Ean Martin (1/4). A humorous sledge from the boundary, "Are you sure there's no one else?" could be heard as he ambled in.
The gamble paid dividends as the batsman suddenly came out of his shell and heaved the ball towards long on where Doig held on to a catch running backwards. At the other end Ryan accounted for the top scorer with a similar shot but this time Doig didn't have to move as he collected his third catch. Corrimal kept digging in though as bowlers continued to rotate, first Sismey bagged his third and sixth for the match with an edge to Jacob Hand before Doig (1/3) and Eric Denhartog (1/19) finally wrapped things up for 94, an overall lead of 64.
The final hour was signalled and the equation was simple: 65 runs in 20 overs. Mick Allen (13) joined Luke Coleman (10) as the pair played Twenty 20 cricket, Allen's first ball cut for four was delicious. Coleman had Sunday in mind as he actually scored at a run a ball before nicking one onto his pads and given LBW. Unlucky but encouraging to see a few two's and good running between the wickets. Allen continued his bash with another boundary before missing a straight one to see Sismey (23*) and Ryan (22*) come together for 20 minutes of fun. They went after the attack, each having strike rates in excess of 140.00 as the target was chased down in half the required time. Ryan sparkled with three boundaries while Sismey cleared it for the first time in the match in trademark style, down the ground with a resounding crack off his bat.
Getting the full 12 points early in the season is a good jolt on the points table. Northern Districts will travel to Wollongong next week, who themselves are placed in the Top 4 with a win on the weekend.
This article has been viewed 315 times!
