Thrash Talk: Nothern Districts’ Mark Cosgrove blasts 34 from a single over in grade cricket after five sixes and one four
Six, six, four, six, six, six. Those were former Redback Mark Cosgrove’s scores off a stunning over in a grade cricket Twenty20 match on the weekend. The veteran batsman stars in this week’s Thrash Talk local cricket wrap.
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Welcome to Thrash Talk, your weekly fix of all things quirky in Adelaide cricket.
Whether it is a big score, a terrible run chase, notable on and off-field stories or anything in between, Chris “Thrasher” Farrant and the Messenger Community News sports team will bring you several tidbits each Tuesday.
Got an interesting local cricket score or story?
Send any news, photos or videos to thrasher@iinet.net.au and matthew.turner1@news.com.au
Here is what caught our eye at the weekend:
COSSIE’S STILL GOT IT
Six, six, four, six, six, six.
Those were Mark Cosgrove’s scores off a stunning over that propelled Northern Districts to an eight-wicket Twenty20 victory over West Torrens at Henley Oval on Saturday.
Batting at number five, the Jets skipper started his innings with three singles, then hit two fours and back-to-back ones, before clubbing Eagles bowler Ben Williams for 34 in a game-changing six balls.
Cosgrove finished with 60 off 30 balls but said he was lucky not to be run out when he was on one due to a mix-up with teammate Trent Pascoe.
“Myself and Trent have not run so well the past couple of games and we’ve had a couple of mix-ups,” said Cosgrove, whose knock featured five sixes along with four fours.
“There was a bit of a wind there, so I wouldn’t say it was easy to smash them.
“It was just one of those days were the ball connected with the bat.”
The Jets made 9/151 then restricted the Eagles to 8/143.
Cameron Laird snared 5/16 from four overs for Northern.
A day earlier, the Jets sustained a six-wicket loss to East Torrens at Salisbury Oval.
Northern is unlikely to make the T20 finals as it sits 11th with a 2-3 record ahead of its last minor-round game at home to Adelaide University on Friday.
NO FINALS FOR UNBEATEN ‘BACKS
There are not too many sporting competitions where you can finish top of the ladder and still not make the finals.
But that will happen for the Emerging Redbacks in the grade T20 competition.
Under SACA rules, the state’s second XI side is not permitted to play finals, even if it finishes in the top four.
The Emerging Redbacks have not lost a game with just one fixture to play and look almost certain to finish on top of the ladder.
While the teams fighting to fill the four semi-final spots will not mind the side’s exclusion, it does raise questions about its effect on the competition.
FIXTURE FARCE
It is going to be a long slog this weekend for the grade cricketers whose teams are lucky enough to make the T20 grand final this Sunday.
The two clubs that face off in the decider will play four games in just three days.
The two semi-finalists will front up for three in three.
It is a logjam of fixtures given the last of the T20 minor-round matches will be played on Friday, day one of a two-day match takes place on Saturday and the T20 semi-finals and grand final back-to-back the following day.
Both the T20 semi-finals and grand final will then be played on Sunday at the Karen Rolton Oval precinct.
Port Adelaide coach Matthew Weeks, who has his side sitting second behind the Emerging Redbacks, said the scheduling was “not ideal”.
“If you’re playing on Sunday at least it means you’re in finals so you can’t complain too much,” Weeks said.
“Hopefully we win the toss Saturday (in the two-day clash), so we can bat out and give some guys a rest.”
STINGRAYS STUNG AND ALL TIED UP
Southern District’s terrible men’s Twenty20 grade cricket form continued on the weekend as it slumped to back-to-back losses, making it 14 straight defeats in the format.
The Stingrays have not won a 20-over match since December 2015 and are 0-5 this season.
They were thumped by Sturt at Price Memorial Oval on Friday, unable to get close to the Blues’ opening total of 4/173 as they were bowled out for 86.
Southern was then overrun by Port Adelaide at Bice Oval on Saturday.
Despite posting an imposing 2/175 on the back of a hard-hitting 111 from 61 balls by captain Josh Barrett, the Stingrays were unable to hold the Magpies down as they made 2/176 with 3.2 overs to spare.
The hosts could not contain Port’s Ben Cooper who blasted an unbeaten 117 off just 63 balls.
Southern’s final T20 fixture is at home against Glenelg this Friday.
In women’s action, the Stingrays incredibly tied their game against Port.
They made 5/101 batting first, only for the Magpies to match it.
Amy Peterson (28 not out off 28 balls) topscored for Southern, while Gemma Kennedy (2/17) snared multiple scalps.
Port had levelled the scores before losing two wickets – Kennedy dismissed Mary Waldron (44 off 62) and then Sheridan Howell ran out Magpies captain Sarah Ferris on the last ball.
BOWLERS GRAB SPOTLIGHT
One-day games everywhere make it a batsman’s game, but a couple of bowlers in Turf’s two-day clashes revelled.
One of the more outstanding efforts of the season came from Marion’s Chirag Shah.
In B2, he finished with 7/25 from 21 overs (11 maidens) to strangle and then dismiss Hope Valley for 94.
Marion as on its way at 1/76 at stumps.
MAGNIFICENT SEVEN
Not far behind, also in Turf, was Prince Alfred Old Collegians’ Stephen Ottenelli.
He snared 7/26 from 11 overs in the C2 clash with Pooraka.
Chasing only 57, Princes were well in advance with 2/113 at the close of play.
PHOTO OF THE WEEK
SAINT BE PRAISED
Jayden Saint was the main reason behind Salisbury North being able to race to 6/256 from 40 overs in their PDCA LO1A clash against Central United.
Saint finished with 115 not out and his score alone doubled Central United, which at least got to raise the bat for a team half-century (57).
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