Adelaide cricket club South Road all out for two as only one player scores and nine make ducks
A SUBURBAN team has been bowled out for just two runs in one of SA cricket’s most extraordinary collapses. The worst thing — one of the runs was a wide bowled on the first ball of the innings.
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AN Adelaide community cricket club has been bowled out for just two runs.
South Road was dismissed in 11 overs in the Adelaide and Suburban Cricket Association Section Nine clash against Sheidow Park at Reynella East College on Saturday.
Only one of South Road’s 10 players scored — No. 9 Chris Boyd with one — and nine made ducks.
The other run came from a wide, which was bowled first ball of the innings.
The total is believed to be a record low in the 119-year-old association.
South Road president Aaron Schmidt said a single-digit score was also a first for the D-grade side, which lacked experience and lost the one-day match by 302 runs.
“It’s not something I’ve seen before in my time in cricket,” Schmidt said.
“The side has been struggling a bit, but not to this degree.
“There has been a fair bit of change at the club this year.
“If you look back at their week-to-week results, it’s not quite as bad as on the weekend, but it’s been a pretty regular occurrence down there.”
Edwardtown-based South Road sits bottom of the ninth-tier competition with one win (a forfeit), two draws and six losses, while Sheidow Park is in top spot.
South Road’s previous scores this season have been 84, 48, 64, 94, 15, 104, 48, 30, 26.
Its side on Saturday included about three players with experience, several in their first season and a teenage girl.
South Road vice-captain Peter Fosdike said playing the top side, an inexperienced line up and a windy day was a “perfect storm”.
“They were bowling into the wind and getting really late swing, particularly on the fuller balls,” Fosdike said.
“People were playing the ball and just closing the bat face too early and popping it up, so I think we had five or six caught out in front of the wicket and that’s down to inexperience.”
Schmidt said the capitulation sparked interest from past and present South Road members, who have offered to help the struggling side.
“They’re not the most skilled lads but they’re definitely the most passionate lads we’ve got at the club,” he said.
“They’re at training every week and trying to improve.
“They turn up every week and have only forfeited once, whereas other sides in the lower division tend to forfeit much more often.”
Adelaide and Suburban president Phil Davis said the association’s previous lowest total on record was six — by Keswick in 1959/60.
“When we heard it (South Road’s score) amazed us really, everyone at the association,” Davis said.
“We said ‘is this genuine? Is this real?’
“I’ve played more than 150 cricket matches and, even if you’re completely outclassed, there are still edges that go for a run every now and then.”
Sheidow Park president Daniel Neal credited South Road for always playing with great spirit.
“Hopefully they continue to get out there, enjoy their cricket and the results start to turn for them,” Neale said.
The lowest total in a Test match is New Zealand’s 26 against England in 1955.