KFC PLAYER OF THE WEEK #7: Tim Bultitude earns call up
After last week’s offspin heroics, the reliable top order batsman will make his CRCA representative debut this weekend.
Sport
Don't miss out on the headlines from Sport. Followed categories will be added to My News.
TIM Bultitude is better known around Clarence River Cricket circles for his technically correct and patient batting. But he's quickly building a reputation as a reliable offspin bowler.
Bowling in tandem with veteran Matthew Pigg for Ulmarra Hotel Tucabia Copmanhurst last Saturday, the pair spun South Services into the ground at JJ Lawrence Field, taking 8 for 25 off 16 overs between them.
Bultitude's 4 for 8 off 8 overs including three maidens saw him voted KFC Player of the Week this week.
"The fast bowlers are getting older and want a bit of a rest, so Piggy and I bowl in tandem a bit," Bultitude said.
"Now (leg spinner) Buchie (Andrew Buchanan) is gone, it gives me a bit of an opportunity, and I've been pretty with happy with how they're coming out."
The spell helped restrict Souths to juts 92 runs in the GDSC Premier League round four fixture, before Tucabia scraped home with a one-wicket win.
Bultitude agreed the two sides being used to the flatter tracks of Ulmarra Showground and McKittrick Park was a fair assessment in explaining the fall of 19 wickets and just 185 runs scored in 71.4 overs of one-day cricket on the testing JJ Lawrence pitch.
"JJ probably stayed a bit lower and was a little harder to bat on," he said.
"But I guess we've been struggling with the batting the last couple of weeks, so any score was going to be tough.
"It was good to get away with the win, but it was quite a nail-biting one at the end there."
Tucabia hosts GDSC Easts/Westlawn Crown Hotel at Ulmarra Showground today. While Easts/Westlawn are still chasing their first win of the season, they will no doubt smell blood in the water after some low scores from Tucabia in recent weeks, and captain Nathan Blanch in red-hot form after backing up his KFC Player of the Week performance against Souths with 5 for 15 off 7.2 overs in his side's 23-run loss to competition leaders Brothers Clocktower Hotel at McKittrick Park last weekend.
"If we bat first, we just need to make sure we bat out our 40 overs, that's the key I think," Bultitude said.
Meanwhile Bultitude will make his Clarence River representative debut at McKittrick Park on Sunday against Northern Districts in the North Coast Premier League.
He will be one of five Tucabia players in the side, including fellow Clarence River debutant Taine Riley, as well as Rohan Hackett, Pigg and Matt Dougherty.
"I'm pretty keen and looking forward to playing with a lot of good players from the Clarence Valley," Bultitude said.
"I do still think we should have our premier league here in Grafton, as there's a lot of people who don't want to travel, but it's good to be able to test yourself against other players you don't normally play."
Meanwhile former Tucabia player turned South Services batsman Joey Pigg will join his father Matthew as the third debutant in the side.
CRCA won their previous NCCC Premier League match by 65 runs against Harwood. Play starts at 10am this Sunday.
Related Article:
New faces bring fresh energy to CRCA rep side
CLARENCE RIVER 1ST XI: Kallen Lawrence (Brothers), Shannon Connor (Easts), Tim Bultitude (Tucabia), Jake Kroehnert (c) (Brothers), Matt Pigg (Tucabia), Jamie Firth (Brothers), Joseph Pigg (Souths), Rohan Hackett (Tucabia), Matt Dougherty (Tucabia), Taine Riley (Tucabia), Ethan Lucas (Brothers), Matty Dalton (Souths).
PLAYER PROFILLE
Name: Tim Bultitude
Team: Tucabia Copmanhurst Premier League
Age: 31
Occupation: Plumber
Achievement: 4 for 8 off 8 overs v South Services
Player of the Week poll (top 3):
• 1st Tim Bultitude (Tucabia) - Premier League: 4/8 (8)
• 2nd Nathan Blanch - Easts/Westlawn (Premier League): 4/30 (22)
• 3rd Noel O'Connell (Coutts) - 2nd Grade: 54 runs
Describe last week's performance in one word: Surprising
Season stats (after 4 rds): 92 runs at 23.00, 7 wkts at 5.14, 3 catches
How's 2020/21 shaping up for your team? We should be up there. We just need to sort out our batting.
Funniest teammate: It used to be Bucky (Andrew Buchanan), but let's go with Matthew Pigg.
Most annoying teammate: That used to be Bucky too. Don't have one now.
Who with and when did you first play cricket: Tucabia Copmanhurst Under-12s.
Greatest achievement on the cricket field: Scored 81 not out against Brothers in a preliminary final.
Related Article:
Solid Bultitude guides Tucabia-Copmanhurt into grand final
Best cricketer you've played with or against: Phillip Hughes is definitely the best I've played against. In an Under-14s Inter-District game he scored a hundred, took wickets and catches behind the stumps for Nambucca-Bellingen - it was a one-man team.
Any pregame rituals: Go fishing.
Favourite KFC Big Bash team and player: Sydney Thunder. I like Callum Ferguson, he's a grinder.
Favourite current Test cricketer: Steve Smith, awesome to watch.
Favourite cricketer of all-time: Mark Waugh. A great batsman who was pretty to watch.
CRCA Cricketer of the Year prediction (rival player): Jake Kroehnert.
• KFC Team of the Week - CRCA #1
• KFC PLAYER OF THE WEEK #1: Jake Kroehnert 105
• KFC Team of the Week - CRCA #2
• KFC PLAYER OF THE WEEK #2: Beau Sevil 105*
• KFC Team of the Week - CRCA #3
• KFC PLAYER OF THE WEEK #3: Craig Paul match-winner
• KFC Team of the Week - CRCA #4
• KFC PLAYER OF THE WEEK #4: Billy Blanch leads the way
• KFC Team of the Week - CRCA #5
• KFC PLAYER OF THE WEEK #5: Andrew Ellis 120
• KFC Team of the Week - CRCA #6
• KFC PLAYER OF THE WEEK #6: Nathan Blanch 4/30 (22)
Next gen on display at Aus Basketball School Champs
Future star ballers from across the country have gathered on the Gold Coast this week for the 2024 Basketball Australia School Championships. See the full list of hand-picked top players from U17 and U15 division 1:
Revealed: QLD All Schools Touch top performers
The world’s largest touch football tournament has wrapped up on the Gold Coast after five days of competition across seven divisions. Discover who claimed gold, and the 80+ standouts across the board. Details inside: