Southern Districts has Darwin on the back foot at Kahlin Oval after Corey Hunter’s even ton
Southern Districts has returned to form with the blade as a bold declaration paid off for the reigning premiers against Darwin.
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Despite another supreme bowling performance from Darwin leg spinner Lloyd Pope, honours are even at stumps on day one against Southern Districts.
The Eagles didn’t have it all their own way early when the Crocs were sent in to bat by the Darwin skipper Matt Hammond at Kahlin Oval in Round 11 of Premier Grade.
Openers Corey Hunter (100) and Dylan Mullen (41) plundered 106 from the largely ineffective bowling attack before Blake Coburn enticed the latter to run down and hit him high over the mid-wicket fence.
But it failed to make the distance and was well caught by Jacob Dickman inside the fence.
Without the services of seamers Tom Menzies (in Brisbane at an Australian Under 19 selection trial) and Will Pilkington, Hammond rotated through his bowlers, including himself with his new ball medium pacers.
That was until Pope, and fellow spinners Coburn and Connor Hawkins settled into their work and caused some concern for the batters, even if Districts were comfortable at 1-145 at tea.
Mullen said he was not surprised his former captain at Districts opened the bowling in the absence of Menzies and Pilkington but was disappointed to again not convert a start.
“We had no plans apart from the fact that Kahlin is usually flat, and we were hoping to score big runs and to put last week’s performance down as just one of those things that happens in cricket,” Mullen said of the Crocs’ 111 last round to Nightcliff.
“I knew before the game that Matt (Hammond) would open the bowling, but it came as a surprise because I’ve never seen him bowl mediums before, not even at training.
“My only disappointing aspect of today was that again I got among the 30s and 40s and didn’t get that big one but I will keep trying and it will come.
“But the team is now travelling nicely after a slow start to the season and a third flag is not out of the question.”
Bowling in excess of 20 overs, Tom Jackson (37) became Pope’s first wicket, and when he got rid of Hunter only Tim Garner (31) handled him with reasonable ease.
Final figures of 8/105 from 34 overs reflected his dominance over the Eagles’ middle and late order batters.
Districts declared at 9/247 from 76.1 overs and in reply, Darwin was 2/21 with Brodie Symons (2/9) taking both wickets.
Meanwhile, Nightcliff is poised to claim its ninth win of the Premier Grade season after posting a monster 8/362 declared off less than 68 overs (Douwtjie Hoogenboezem 180, James Doherty 80, Isaac Higgins 80) against PINT as captain Coby Edmondstone claimed 7/73.
The visitors were 0/16 at the close of play.
Waratah also produced a huge score of 4/397 at Gardens Oval with Ryan Hackney (156 not out) making his third century for the season, with support from Param Uppal (87 off 84 rocks) and another blistering cameo from Jack Wood (77 off 34 balls with 10 sixes).
Menzies and Kant combine for match-winning partnership
A well-crafted, century-plus stand for the third wicket between Darwin nightwatchman Tom Menzies (76) and the returning keeper batter Dhruv Kant (67) propelled the Eagles to a six-wicket victory over Tracy Village.
Darwin, who began the day at 1/35, were chasing the Village first innings of 232 and medium pacer Sam Bammant dealt with regular opener Anthony Adlam (15) early in proceedings when he edged one to the keeper and captain, Max Hatzoglou.
However, Kant, playing his first Premier Grade game of the season, together with Menzies, who elegantly displayed his all-round capabilities, would deliver the knockout blow to Tracy’s aspirations.
Hatzoglou rotated through nine bowlers looking for the best combinations to take back control.
And although off-spinner Toby Gray (2/58 from 22 overs) and Bammant (2/34 off seven) were valiant, the batting duo found their rhythm and were in the main untroubled during the match winning partnership.
Daniel Kerber (32 not out) and Matt Calder (an unbeaten 35) were at the crease when stumps were drawn at 4/235 after 56.2 overs.
In his second season at the Darwin club, Parramatta product Kant said he was always coming back to Darwin, with only university studies delaying his return.
“It was good to spend some time in the middle today rather than the usual net practice at home in Sydney – I was disappointed at getting out the way I did but still it was better than normal training,” Kant said.
“The win today was important, and it doesn’t matter who you play you still need to get the job done and we did that today.
“I wanted to come here earlier but some university complications meant I had to stay at home and attend classes rather than utilising the same remote learning method from last year.”
He said a return to Darwin was a key part of his ambition to play at the highest level possible.
“It has crossed my mind to move permanently interstate, but I would prefer to stay in Sydney and coming here gives me the best chance to hit the track running next southern season,” he said.
Meanwhile, Southern Districts’ three-game winning run has come to a sudden halt as Nightcliff scored its eighth victory from nine Premier Grade matches.
Chasing the Tigers’ 210 at Gerry Wood Oval, Corey Kelly’s unbeaten 41 was the only score of substance as the usual suspects of Caelan Maladay (2/40) and Jai Allman (3/17) did the damage while Hanno Jacobs (2/20) and Josh Brown (2/26) chipped in.
Palmerston also completed its second close victory over PINT, this time by three wickets, as it reached the 256 target with more than 14 overs to spare.
Palmy batters Keegan Oates (64), Jack Freeman (49), Alex Bleakley (53) and Tom McGann (31) produced crucial runs at DXC Arena.
Mitch Doolan (3/64) continued his strong form with the ball with support from Wickremachchi Wickramanayaka (2/16).
Lloyd Pope takes six against Tracy Village
Despite a six-wicket haul from Redbacks leg spinner Lloyd Pope on Darwin cricket debut, honours were even at stumps on day one of the Premier Grade cricket match against Tracy Village.
Choosing to bat after winning the toss at Tracy Village Oval, the home side found itself in a spot of early bother after Eagle seamer Tom Menzies (2/22) removed both openers in quick succession.
However, a sequence of solid top and middle order partnerships got the home side back on track.
Reggie Els (41) and Sanjay Anandarajah (21), then Els and Zayden Lewis (56) and finally Lewis and Toby Gray (38), stopped the early rot.
But once Pope found his rhythm (6/95 from 26.3 overs), he proved to be a constant menace and none of the batsmen were comfortable against him or able to score potentially match-winning runs.
Characteristically, the home side’s lower order failed to capitalise on the solid foundation and were bowled out for 232 from a mere 63.3 overs.
First to fall against the SACA star Pope was Tasmanian recruit Anandarajah, in his second season at Tracy.
He said it was poor batting and lack of concentration that caused his demise, caught by Blake Coburn.
“Lloyd got me out today – I tried to take him on but clearly it wasn’t the right ball to attack the way I did,” Anandarajah said.
“I learned a valuable lesson from a very good bowler but was disappointed especially since Reggie and I had put together a developing partnership.
“We are a pretty young side so we tend to lack consistency but there is an overall improvement from the start of the season.
“We play to win games and although our results are not spectacular, we go into each game with a positive mind set and believe finals are not yet beyond our reach.”
However, the Eagles lost an early wicket when opener Jacob Dickman nicked one to the keeper off Samuel Bammant but Anthony Adlam (12 not out) and nightwatchman Menzies (16 not out) held on till stumps at 1/35.
Meanwhile, Nightcliff is in danger of losing its second game in a row after being dismissed for 210 inside 75 overs at Gerry Wood Oval.
The Tigers were reduced to 5/188 before James Doherty (64) and Caelan Maladay (35) steadied the ship with a 44-run stand for the sixth wicket.
The Crocs have regained some bowling firepower in recent weeks with premiership player Brodie Simons (2/32) complementing another big haul for spinner Reiley Mark (4/64).
At DXC Arena, PINT keeper Jet Liebke (101) was the nucleus of his team’s 255 from 72.2 overs while captain Coby Edmondstone contributed a quickfire, 45-ball 47 with seven boundaries.
With the wickets shared (Jack Freeman 3/33), Palmerston was 0/19 off just three overs at stumps.
Nightcliff finally beaten in Darwin Premier Grade
It took nine rounds of Premier Grade cricket but Nightcliff have finally been knocked off.
Second-placed Waratah moved a step closer to the top of the table following a four-run victory over the Tigers at Gardens Oval on Sunday.
In a game befitting the top two teams, and despite some dogged Tiger batting, Waratah held its nerve in the field and finally ran out winners in a milestone game for Tahs skipper Isaac Conway.
The South Australian is in his seventh season at the club and played his 100th game in the meritorious win.
Chasing Waratah’s 6/331 for victory, Nightcliff openers Douwtjie Hoogenboezem and Sukhvir Singh set the scene early with a steady opening partnership that appeared unbreakable until red cap medium pacer Nadeesha Belpage rattled Singh’s stumps with his very first ball.
And at tea, the visitors were steady at 1/117 with James Doherty beginning to assert some authority.
Soon after the break, off-spinner Param Uppal bowled the stubborn Hoogenboezem (69), but undeterred, the Tiger batters continued to frustrate the bowlers with a series of solid middle-order partnerships.
First it was Hoogenboezem and Doherty, then the latter and Harrish Kannan (32) and when Caelan Maladay (52) came to the crease, the Tigers looked headed toward maintaining their unbeaten record for the season.
However, when Uppal took the vital wicket of Doherty (98) and Belpage chipped in with Michael Kudra’s wicket (28), the Tigers were on the back foot and in a tense finish, the home side prevailed.
Tahs were well served by Uppal (4/103 from 27 overs) and Belpage (2/46).
However, a concern for the red cap hierarchy remains an inability to take early wickets and to dismiss teams despite boasting an extensive and varied bowling attack.
At Tracy Village Oval, the home side fluffed a great opportunity to record its second win of the year.
Sitting comfortably at 2/82 chasing 158 for victory, Tracy crumbled, losing 4/6 at the back end of its innings (Max Hatzoglou 44) with skipper Hamish Martin the chief destroyer (4/53 off 26.1 overs) with support from Daniel McKell (2/29).
Batting a second time, Harshtik Bimbral smashed an unbeaten, 93-ball 106 as Palmerston racked up 2/180 off just 26 overs (Tom McGann 33 not out) to compound a disappointing day for Tracy.
Meanwhile, Southern Districts has recorded its third win in a row, crushing PINT by 155 runs at Gerry Wood Oval.
Chasing 293 for victory, no PINT batter could offer anything of substance as Reiley Mark (3/43) Corey Kelly (2/23) and Dylan Mullen (2/40) shared the spoils.
The Crocs were 3/37 in their second innings when stumps were called.
Tim Garner century keeps Crocs in control
Waratah holds the upper hand at stumps on day one against Nightcliff in round 9 of Premier Grade cricket as a key part of Southern Districts’ premiership team finds form.
Batting first in the annual Norm Yeend Cup match, Tahs reached a solid 6/331 after 80 overs at Gardens Oval.
At the ground to toss the coin and watch the game was 92-year-old Yeend who was an inaugural member of the Waratah Cricket Club in 1957, and its first captain.
An opening batsman, Yeend also scored the first century for the club – 104 not out - in that first season.
Up from Adelaide with his wife and daughter, Yeend said he started up the club as an activity during the dry season after playing football with Works and Housing, which later became Nightcliff.
The Tigers would taste immediate success, winning premierships in the first three years 1957-59.
“I tossed the coin today and it went very well – it actually turned over a few times and the opposition captain didn’t complain,” Yeend said.
“It all started for me and Waratah back in 1957 at the end of the footy season when I spoke to a few blokes about playing cricket in the off-season.
“I received enormous, positive reactions so I went to the controlling body and asked if we could include a team in the competition.
“They agreed and as they say, the rest is history, including winning the first three premierships.”
Meanwhile, batting first, the red caps were in a spot of bother early when the competition’s premier quick Caelan Maladay sent opener Isaac Conway and Param Uppal packing.
And when Jason Sangha and prolific opener Ryan Hackney followed soon after, the home side was teetering at 4/103 at the tea break.
But productive middle-order partnerships between Jagadeswara Koduru (57) and big hitting Jack Wood (83), and then Wood and veteran Udara Weerasinghe (82 not out), got the batting back on track.
Maladay (4/108 from a marathon 30 overs) was the pick of the bowlers while his new ball partner Hanno Jacobs displayed glimpses of pace that occasionally surprised the top order batters.
At Gerry Wood Oval, Southern Districts’ strong batting form continued as the Crocs posted 292 off its full 80 overs.
Tim Garner was the bedrock with an unbeaten 102 with support from Corey Kelly (43) and Dylan Hunter (39).
All-rounder Kelly was a key part of the Crocs’ premiership team last season and will be a powerful addition for Tony Judd.
Spinner Mitch Doolan continued his excellent form with the ball, snaring 5/73 while captain Coby Edmondstone (4/68) also grabbed a bag.
Meanwhile, Tracy Village is poised to secure its second win for the season after bowling out Palmerston for 157 (Jack Freeman 45, Alex Bleakley 41, as Rohit Adhikari claimed 6/34.
In reply, the Villagers are 2/59 with skipper Max Hatzoglou (32 not out) at the crease.
Darwin falls short despite memorable hundred to Jacob Dickman
A special hundred to Darwin opener Jacob Dickman after a few seasons in the wilderness wasn’t enough to inspire his Eagles to victory at Kahlin Oval on Saturday.
Waratah’s 8/374 last weekend was a bridge too far for Darwin on day two of the round 8 Premier Grade match.
The Eagles were finally dismissed for 290 from 71.4 overs and the star of the show was Dickman who was resolute in scoring 109 from 198 deliveries.
Dickman and opening partner Anthony Adlam compiled 68 for the first wicket before the latter fell to crafty off-spinner Udara Weerasinghe (2/20).
And when Param Uppal (2/76) and Weerasinghe got the next two wickets cheaply, the home side was teetering at 3/74.
However, Dickman found an ally in Matthew Calder (77 from 68) and the pair added 119 for the fourth wicket in brisk time.
But once Calder was removed, only a rapid-fire innings from number nine Blake Coburn (41 from 21 balls) delayed the steady red cap bowling attack’s well-crafted victory.
Although he went wicketless, seamer Harrison Massey was the go-to man for Tahs skipper Isaac Conway.
Each time he stemmed the run rate with clever lines and occasional glimpses of good pace.
Leg spinner Jason Sangha (3/24) and medium pacer Nadeesha Belpage (2/20) joined the eight-bowler rotations with a degree of success.
Dickman said the plan was for the Eagles to bat all day before upping the ante after tea.
“That is exactly what Matt Calder did, but wickets fell pretty regularly,” Dickman said.
“However, despite our plan, they bowled exceptionally well and try as we did, they were all hard to get away, so we fell short in the end.”
Back playing after a couple of years off, Dickman’s second Premier Grade century for the club held special significance.
“I’ve been out of the game for a few seasons now and so for personal reasons it was the best – we’ve just had a baby and it was the first one in front of him so that makes it special,” he added.
At Cazalys Oval, Southern Districts made short work of Palmerston’s 246 all out, reaching the target with four wickets in hand and more than 28 overs to spare.
A blazing 89-ball 107 from Tom Jackson set up victory while Josh Kann compiled a traditionally hard hitting 53 off 44 balls with ten boundaries and a six.
Captain Hamish Martin was his typical economical self with 2/35 off 10 overs.
Meanwhile, Tracy Village showed a bit more ticker in the second innings against Nightcliff but was still rolled outright.
After being routed for just 67 on day one at Nightcliff Oval, and the Tigers declaring at 68 without loss, the Villagers offered up 168 the second time around (Max Hatzoglou 51, Sanjay Anandarajah 37 not out, Reggie Els 34).
Caelan Maladay backed up his three-wicket haul in the first innings with 4/53 while Charlie Smith claimed 3/41.
Nightcliff then reeled in the target of 168 off just 23.3 overs for the loss of only three wickets, as Connor Carroll (91) found form with support from Raveesh Srivastava (38) and Paul Wasiewicz (29 not out).
Nightcliff continues its white ball form in the two-day competition
Nightcliff’s stellar white ball form has continued with the red variety, steamrolling Tracy Village for just 67 in under 44 overs.
The Tigers, who won their 15th short form match last Sunday to clinch the 50-over title over Waratah, destroyed the Villagers at Nightcliff Oval six days later.
It came after Nightcliff up-ended Tracy for 66 the last time they met in round 2 of the one day competition in April.
Caelan Malady led the attack this time with 3/17 off 12 miserly overs with support from Connor Carroll (2/9) and Yudhajeet Barua (2/8) on Saturday.
In a stunning turn of events, captain Michael Kudra, who had his one-day ban for dissent overturned by the Darwin Cricket Management Committee during the week, pouched six catches.
Skipper Max Hatzoglou top scored with 21 as the Villagers were swept away.
After knocking up a rapid 0/68 off 13 overs (Douwtjie Hoogenboezem and Paul Wasiewicz both making an unbeaten 34) the Tigers declared and had the Villagers 2/20 off 10 overs before stumps were called.
Meanwhile, Waratah – boasting three NSW first class batters in their top four of Ryan Hackney, Param Uppal and Jason Sangha – feasted on the Darwin bowlers and held a distinct advantage at stumps on day one at Kahlin Oval.
It was a team resembling Southern Districts’ star studded squad of last season which boasted a raft of first class and List A players, including Corey Kelly, Xavier Crone, Tom O’Connell and Sam Kerber.
Electing to bat first, the normally prolific red cap openers Hackney and Isaac Conway didn’t have it all their own way and both were dismissed with 66 on the board.
However, Uppal (138) and NSW vice-captain Sangha (31) combined for a 51-run stand.
Then, Uppal and Jagadeswara Koduru (68) put on 154 for the fourth wicket at the small confines of the Eagle eyrie.
It was a second century for the Chandigarh-born Uppal this season – after 107 off just 109 balls in round 7 against Palmerston – who played two first class games for the Blues in March, 2018.
A characteristically aggressive Jack Wood (79 with eight sixes) iced the batting cake and at stumps after 80 overs, the visitors had reached a healthy 8/374.
Another four-wicket haul from young quick Tom Menzies was a highlight for the home side — his wickets included Conway and Sangha who both had their off-stump rattled by late inswingers.
Sangha, in Darwin for the third time to play Strike League later this month, didn’t make a great show with the bat, but his leg-spinners may just be the medicine the red caps are looking for to take the points next week.
The Sydney Thunder captain, who has played 34 first class games with the Blues and scored four centuries at that level, said he always enjoys his time up north.
“It’s my third season up here now and I’m thinking it is almost my second home – I’ve played Strike League for the past two years, it’s a great place to come, the cricket is good, and it beats training in Sydney with all the cold weather,” Sangha said.
“We’ve started preseason in Sydney – all the gym work, a bit of running and having a bit of a hit indoors and when we can it is outside, but I don’t think all that beats playing games.
“I will look forward to getting the ball in my hands, our team is full of spinners but hopefully (playing coach) Udara (Weerasinghe) throws me the ball now and again.”
At Cazalys Oval, Palmerston was bowled out for 246 in the 73rd over with Jack Freeman (63), captain Hamish Martin (56) and Jake Baker (40) leading the way.
Martin and Baker rescued Palmerston from 5/115, putting on 85 golden runs.
Spinner Reiley Mark produced his first big haul with the Crocs, with 5/59 off 20.4 overs.
Districts were 0/16 at the close.
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