Harry’s ton of skill in the heat with brother’s power boost
Wood brothers smash Redlands victory hopes after bowlers, opener play vital roles. Hornets still in finals hunt.
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STYLISH Ipswich Hornets batsman Harry Wood had to work harder than usual to post a crucial century in his team's latest Queensland Premier Grade victory.
However, he had a valuable ally in older brother Jack to enhance the enjoyment.
Unable to bowl as he waits on further medical assessments on his knee, Wood did what he does best.
The classy first drop knuckled down in the hot conditions to score his first ton of the season against Redlands at Walker Oval.
"It was one of the tricky ones for me,'' the former Ipswich Grammar School student said.
"The boundaries on this field are slightly bigger than the ones on the main (Baxter Oval) field (which is being rested).
"It was pretty lush out there so I did more running than I normally would on the main field so lots of twos and threes. So I'm knackered.''
Hornets opening batsman Levi Thomson-Matthews also produced a telling innings, just falling four runs short of a deserved century.
However, it was Harry later combining in a 82-run stand with Jack that secured the victory.
As Harry played a controlled 154 ball innings with eight fours, Jack blazed away in typical fashion with 52 off 40 balls.
The recent Brisbane Heat Big Bash League replacement player smashed five sixes and two fours to guide Hornets comfortably towards Redlands' first innings 289.
"That was special too. I love batting with Jack,'' Harry said.
"He kind of takes the pressure off because he keeps the scoreboard moving. It was really good timing for him to come out when we needed 50 and I was knackered.
"For him to kind of get 40 of them underlines why I love batting with Jack out there.''
Harry said the Laidley-bred brothers have a good understanding in the middle, not running each out other often.
"We have played a lot of cricket together now,'' he said.
Fresh from another Hornets victory chant led by captain Anthony Wilson, former Australian under-19 representative Harry is hoping for more future honours despite the national Second XI program being scrapped.
"There's no Futures League this season. They made the cut because it doesn't generate any money,'' he said.
"It's really first grade and then (Queensland Sheffield) Shield side is the next step now.
"I try not to worry too much about that kind of stuff.
"I just enjoy my cricket with Ipswich. I love playing for Ipswich.''
Harry said seeing his older brother Jack receive a Queensland Bulls contract last year and called up for the Brisbane Heat provided encouragement.
"For sure,'' he said. "His (Jack's) cricket has progressed unbelievably quickly over the last 12 months really.
"I'm so proud of him.
"He's worked really hard on it and being a wrist spinner, it's a pretty tough ask.
"There's a lot of tough days.
"He's such an X-factor player for us. He's always contributing, whether it's with the ball or the bat.''
Harry is also normally an accomplished all-rounder. But he doubts he will be able to bowl this season awaiting more scans on his knee.
"I've had some issues with my knee,'' he said.
"I've going to the physio in Ipswich here on Thursday. He's given me some treatment but also looking at getting a scan at some point.
"I think a good result would be tendinitis but there's concerns that it could be a stress fracture in my shin.
"To be honest, I'm probably not going to be bowling for the rest of the year.''
Wood praised the return of Rowan Lutter to first grade as being positive after Harry had to give up his usual quota of overs.
"Rowan bowled exceptionally well last week and Jack is bowling so well too,'' Harry said.
"And Smithy (Adam Smith) had his best year by far.
"Sean, we are using in shorter spells, as an impact bowler.
"Dan Wilson's offspin has been very handy. He's not going for many and picking up the odd wicket.''
However, Harry was delighted to contribute another ton at the vital stage of the season after some 80s earlier in the season.
It was his fourth first grade ton for the Hornets, having been one of the club's most consistent performers in recent seasons.
His highest score is 113.
"The next step is to make those hundreds bigger hundreds,'' he said.
Captain Wilson smacked a brisk 43 off 24 balls late in the day after a century in the previous win over Sunshine Coast. Wilson's latest knock included four sixes.
Harry said the Hornets bowlers - the Lutter brothers and Smith - set up a winning position the previous week.
By keeping Redlands under 300, the Hornets were able to declare at 6/352 before chasing more points bowling a second time.
"A big part of the game was won last week,'' Harry said.
"Rowan Lutter and Adam (Smith) bowled exceptionally well with the second new ball and then they (Redlands) were 9/290 . . . they could have finished 6/300 plus and then batted again this morning.''
Redlands only last three balls on day two with Sean Lutter wrapping up the innings.
Having a full day to chase the runs helped the Hornets.
Jack snared the only wicket of the brief Redlands second innings.
It came off the left-arm wrist spinner's first ball with Hornets captain Wilson taking a sharp catch at slip.
Redlands finished the match at 1/13, with the Hornets climbing into third spot with two games before the finals.
Saturday's victory strengthened the Hornets hopes of reaching the grand final, as they did with a surge after Christmas last season.
"To win three on the bounce after Christmas again, I just feel like we are on a roll,'' Harry said.
"We were pretty happy with that one. It was a great run chase.
"We were just talking about it in the sheds. We batted well.''
The Hornets face second placed University in their next game before returning to their home base at Amberley to play Sandgate.
The Hornets second graders also kept their finals hopes alive by beating Redlands on the first innings at Wellington Point.
After declaring at 9/345 following captain Nick De Giusti's 178, the Hornets dismissed the home side for 183 in 74 overs.
Dylan McAteer snared 3/56 with Ryan Plummer and Lachlan Vellacott chipping in with two wickets each.
The Hornets were 4/58 in the second innings.
STATE OF PLAY
Qld Premier Grades
Ipswich Hornets v Redlands
1st Grade at Walker Oval
Redlands 1st Innings (97.3ov) 289
Hornets 1st Innings
Dan Smith c Smith b Apted 33 (71)
Levi Thomson-Mathews c Muller b Bazley 96 (172)
Harry Wood c Apted b Sumner 100 (154)
Lachlan Prince c Drennan b Sumner 13 (22)
Jack Wood c Drennan b Sumner 52 (40)
Anthony Wilson c Drennan b Sumner 43 (24)
Jake Cross not out 3 (6)
Michael Topp not out 6 (2)
Extras (2b 3lb 1nb) 6
Total (81.4ov) 6 (dec) 352
FoW: 74, 193, 213, 295, 312, 346
Bowling: James Bazley 15/4/43/1; Simon Milenko 12/1/46/0; Jon Stimpson 18/5/42/0; C. Evans 17/4/76/0; J. Apted 5/0/30/1; J. Sumner 11.4/0/98/4; D. Kritzberger 3/0/12/0.
Redlands 2nd Innings
L. Smith not out 2(9)
S. Muller c A. Wilson b J. Wood 4 (13)
D. Kritzberger not out 7 (2)
Extras 0
Total (4ov) 1/13
FoW: 6
Bowling: Adam Smith 2/0/6/0; Sean Lutter 1/1/0/0; Jack Wood 1/0/7/1.
2nd Grade at Wellington Point
Ipswich 1st Innings (resuming at 9/310)
Jacob Waters not out 15 (25)
Lachlan Vellacott not out 33 (20)
Extras (1b 8lb 3w 3nb) 15
Total (99ov) 9 (dec) 345
Redlands 1st Innings
M. McEwan c Austin b Trigar 23 (42)
H. Short c Andrews b McAteer 48 (117)
R. Burger b Trigar 16 (60)
J. Grosvenor lbw Trigar 0 (3)
C. French lbw Vellacott 43 (76)
M. Drennan c Plummer b McAteer 28 (96)
M. Short b Plummer 0 (2)
C. Weier c Carter b Plummer 0 (1)
C. Pearson c Andrews b Vellacott 1 (8)
L. Jess not out 18 (41)
K. Goodridge lbw McAteer 0 (1)
Extras (3b 1lb 2w) 6
Total (74.1ov) 183
FoW: 32, 58, 58, 111, 142, 143, 151, 152, 177, 183
Bowling: Josh Creevey 11/2/28/0; Jacob Waters 7/3/17/0; Will Trigar 19/11/32/2; Dylan McAteer 22.1/6/65/3; Ryan Plummer 10/2/24/2; Lachlan Vellacott 5/2/13/2.
Ipswich 2nd Innings
Nick De Giusti b Goodridge 0 (1)
Harry Austin c Grosvenor b M. Short 12 (22)
Lachlan Vellacott b M. Short 26 (20)
Sula Fernando not out 16 (23)
Jacob Waters c Pearson b M. Short 0(4)
Extras (4b) 4
Total (11.4ov) 4/58
FoW: 0, 39, 54, 58
Bowling: K. Goodridge 6/0/29/1; C. Weier 2/0/12/0; M. Short 3.4/0/13/3.
Women's Cricket
Raymont Shield 1st Grade: Sunshine Coast 8/136 (36.4) - Rachel Lewis 1/20 (7), Ruth Johnston 1/29 (9.4) defeated Ipswich Hornets 135 (47.3) - Hannah Freiberg 12 (42), Kira Holmes 22 (34), Ruth Johnston 37 (41), Olivia Winter 21( 64), Keely Freiberg 12 (44), Olivia Bennett 2/10(4).
2nd Grade, Jodie Fields Shield: Ipswich Hornets 6/116 (33.3) - Macy Hauser 13 (21), Jamie Lee 46 (64), Trinity Doyle 15 (60), Sarah Walker 23* (25) defeated Sandgate Redcliffe 7/113 (40) - Macy Hauser 1/16 (8), Trinity Doyle 1/7 (4), Jordan Spilsbury 7/1/9/3.
Rep Cricket
Ipswich U19s 9/233 (50) - Ethan Ramsbotham 91(118), Harry Sheppard 81(111), Tom Sippel 28(39) defeated University 146 (35.2) - Josh Creevey 2/26 (6), Travis Busch 1/26 (5), Dylan McAteer 10/1/43/3, Will Trigar 2/23(8), Tom Sippel 2/2(2.2).
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