Hollymount Heroics Humble Lighthouse Keepers

NDCC 3rd Grade have claimed outright points against Wollongong despite some sloppy work in the field and a spirited fight back from the Lighthouse Keepers, as the butchers stay at the top of the table.

Starting the day in complete control, things started well for the butchers as Ryan Davidson pushed towards his maiden century. Davidson found another willing partner in Adam Van Wijk  who showed his intentions early dispatching his first ball to the boundary. The crowd had swelled past the dozen mark in anticipation of Davidson's ton, but they were left disappointed as he failed to defend a cracker of a ball to have him dismissed for 77. With a declaration looming, captain Pat Tobin joined Van Wijk in the middle in an attempt to push the run rate. Tobin finished unbeaten on 24 and when Van Wijk was stumped on 48, Tobin followed him off to declare the innings closed at 2 for 266, a lead of 157.

The Butchers started well with Adam Anderson breaking through early enticing the Wollongong opener to play a lofted cover drive straight into the hands of Rob Murphy to have Wollongong in early trouble at 1/5. Pete Cleaves bowled particularly well but was incredibly unlucky to finish with figures of 0/33 despite consistently beating the bat and having a regulation edge put down by Tobin in first slip. The Butchers were hopeful of a quick day in the field but the Wollongong batsmen had other ideas as Summers (90) and Kelsey (29) displayed good fight for an 89 run stand. The Wollongong batsmen were helped by some sloppy fielding, as despite Summers batting well for his 90, he was given no less than 5 lives as the butchers continued to drop catches. Just when Wollongong seemed to be in control Brice Hillard turned the match back in favour of the Butchers. In his 3^rd over, Brice had the Wollongong captain dismissed in a leg side stumping thanks to some great glove work from Matt Craig. Three balls later Craig and Hilliard combined again to have Kelsey caught behind for a duck. When Hilliard picked up Hancox for a duck the following over, momentum had swung back the Butchers way as Wollongong had lost 3/6 just before tea.

The momentum the Butchers had fought for was left in the dressing sheds at tea as Luke Bendall joined Summers after tea for a 70 run stand frustrating the Butchers to no end as more catches were put down. Just when Wollongong seemed destined to save the outright, Rob Murphy (3/21) and Jeremy Lum (2/9) were finally given an opportunity with the ball, an opportunity they did not waste. Murphy was imposing his will on the Wollongong batsmen with some fine fast bowling showing he has hopefully shaken a groin injury that has dogged him over the last few weeks. When Summers finally was caught by Dan Bond off the bowling of Murphy it triggered a collapse as the Wollongong side lost 4/0 and were dismissed soon after for 197. Just a short time earlier the game was still in the balance but with the Butchers only needing 42 runs in the last 21 overs the Butchers were well back on top.

Dan Bond and Matt Craig were given some batting practice as they were elevated to the top of the order for a rapid fire 14 run opening stand. When Craig was bowled for 5, Jeremy Lum joined Bond at the crease and the 2 batsmen looked in complete. With the unorthodox hitting of Bond and the majestic stroke play of Lum, the run rate continued to soar before Lum was trapped in front for 13. Bond hitting the winning runs the following over to finish with 29 not out to get the runs required in less than 8 overs.

A good win for the 3^rd grade side but they know they will need to improve on their effort in the field next week when they take on the highly fancied Keira side next week on the turf at Reid Park East, a game that will show the Butchers how they are really travelling after a few rounds.

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