KFC Team of the Week - CRCA #12

Check out who made the Clarence River Best XI this week and vote for your KFC Player of the Week.

The KFC Team of the Week consists of the best 11 individual performances across all senior grades in the Clarence River Cricket Association.

Find out who made the Best XI from the two Premier League, three 2nd Grade and two 3rd Grade matches played on February 6, and the two Cleaver Mechanical Night Cricket matches played on February 1 and 3.

1. Matt Dougherty (Tucabia) - Premier League: 43 runs

In a competition where big scores have been hard to come by this season (a total of six 50s and one century in 11 rounds), Ulmarra Hotel Tucabia-Copmanhurst opener Matt Dougherty topped the run scoring charts this week, with his 43 off 62 setting the platform for his side's total of 205.

Dougherty and Derek Woods (18 off 51) saw off Brothers Clocktower Hotel's opening bowlers at Ulmarra Showground to put on a 63-run stand before young gun Ethan Lucas (2/29 off 11) finally saw the back of Dougherty.

Tim Bultitude (18 off 97), Rohan Hackett (27 off 44), Andrew Ellis (40 off 74) and Bob McKenzie (21 off 57) kept the wheels turning to push Tucabia's total past 200 for the first time this season.

Tucabia was eventually bowled out in the 78th over, with Brothers to bat this Saturday in the first of two two-day matches to round out the regular season.

2. Ben Jurd (Brothers) - Premier League/T20: 2/15 (11); and 55 not out

Tucabia's innings was an exhibition of patience, as the Brothers bowlers toiled away, bowling a total of 23 maidens between them. The pick of the bowlers was Ben Jurd, who bowled six maidens in his spell of 2 for 15 off 11 overs, including the prized scalps of Matt Pigg (11 off 41) and former CRCA captain Bob McKenzie.

But Jurd not only enjoyed his best outing of the season with the ball, he also starred with the bat. The previous Monday night at McKittrick Park he scored 55 not out as he and fellow opener Beau Sevil (49no) successfully chased down TLE Tucabia Copmanhurst's total of 127 with three balls to spare in round 15 of the Cleavers Twenty20 Night Competition.

Earlier Tim Bultitude and Bob McKenzie put on 58 runs for the 3rd wicket for before Brothers skipper Jake Kroehnert and Jack Weatherstone tore through the Tucabia middle order (correct scores from the Tucabia innings not available at time of print).

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3. Jaye Yardy (wk) (Tucabia) - 2nd Grade: 59 not out, 3 catches

Not for the first time this season, Yardy was involved in an unbeaten opening partnership run chase for 2nd Grade leaders Sunline Fencing Tucabia Copmanhurst.

In round one Yardy and Justin Blanch did exactly that to chase down 127 against GDSC Easts Valley Finance. This time he was joined by 15-year-old young gun Keaton Stutt (44no) to chase down South Services' total of 105 in 27.3 overs. Yardy finished 59 not out.

Both batsmen also had a day out in the field, with Stutt taking two catches, and Yardy snaring three behind the stumps.

4. Anthony Dickson (Souths) - T20: 54 runs

Dickson turned on the fireworks for his first half century of the season, blasting five 6s against a hapless Coutts Crossing Inspirations Paint side as South Services piled on 7 for 164 in the Cleavers Twenty20 Night Cricket clash at McKittrick last Wednesday (Feb 3).

Dickson and Tom Kroehnert (32) put on a 77-run 4th wicket stand to save Souths from a diabolical start, after breakthroughs from Hayden Woods (2/27 off 4) and Andrew McLachlan (1/25 off 4) had Souths reeling at 3 for 9.

Nick Wood (3/26 off 4) reined in the momentum somewhat towards the back end of Souths' innnings.

Meanwhile, Coutts Crossing gave the run chase a decent crack, with Aaron Webb (48) and Pat Phillips (17) putting on 54 for the 1st wicket, followed by a 50-run stand between Webb and Josh Harris (53no) for the 2nd wicket.

However, despite four 6s from Harris, some tight late overs from Matt Dalton (1/10 off 4) meant Coutts finished six runs short at the end of their 20 overs.

5. Brandon Disson (Easts) - 2nd Grade: 48 runs, 3/18 (3.3)

GDSC Easts Poplar Sheds recorded their fifth win in a row with a convincing 136-run victory over club rivals GDSC Easts Valley Finance in yet another solid all-round performance as the side currently sitting third in 2nd Grade continues to build momentum.

Disson (48 off 43) came to the crease at 3 for 69 after the wicket of Brenden Cotten (50 off 48) and continued the good work, putting on an 80-run 4th wicket stand with Chris Chamberlain (31 off 53). Aaron McFadyen (33* off 25) and Tim Petterson (28* off 20) then put on a quickfire unbeaten 59 runs for the 6th wicket to boost the total to 5 for 223 at the end of 40 overs 

Cotten could count himself unlucky not to be included in the KFC Team of the Week, with both Disson and McFadyen's success with the ball nudging them in front. Disson chimed in late in Easts Valley Finance's innings to take 3 for 18 off 3.3 overs.

6. Aaron McFadyen (Easts) - 2nd Grade: 33 not out, 4/20 (5)

Perhaps the form player across all competitions and one to watch for representative duties in the future, McFadyen turned around after his 33 not out to take 4 for 20 off 5 overs.

He combined with his dad Angus McFadyen (2 for 31 off 5) to have GDSC Easts Valley Finance dead and buried on 6 for 44 during their new ball spell.

The little known all-rounder from the Murray Valley was last week voted KFC Player of the Week, and has so far scored 289 runs at 57.80 and taken 25 wickets at 6.60 in 2nd Grade this season.

Premier League beckons?

7. Alex Bertus (Tucabia) - 3rd Grade: 27 runs, 5/10 (5)

University bound Bertus earned his second call up into the KFC Team of the Week this season for his all-round efforts in a win that all but secured B&S Kitchens Tucabia Copmanhurst's place in the 3rd Grade semi-finals ahead of GDSC Easts JDs Take Away.

Bertus scored 27, including a 55-run 2nd wicket stand with his captain Greg Niland (37no), to lay the platform for Tucabia's total of 9 for 154 off 30 overs, with Jason Harrison (2/12 off 5) the best of the bowlers for Easts.

In reply, Easts were never in the hunt as Bertus ran riot with the new ball, taking 5 for 10 off 5 overs as Easts slumped to a new low, all out for 45 in 14 overs.

8. Andrew McLachlan (Coutts) - 2nd Grade: 6/22 (8)

Westlawn MI Organics would have cruised to Coutts Crossing Grafton Hotel's total of 138 at JJ Lawrence Turf, if it had not been for the leg spin wizardry of Andrew McLachlan.

At 0 for 43, David Gordon (21) and Adam Cotten (20) looked settled at the crease for Westlawn. However McLachlan (6/22 off 8) proceeded to take Coutts' first six wickets, all bowled, to put his side back in the game, and when Luke Hayman (2) was bowled off the last ball of McLachlan's spell, Westlawn was 6 for 98 and still needing 41 runs for victory.

Enter Coutts captain Matt McKee (3/8 off 5.1), who soon had Westlawn 9 for 111. However, a 24-run 10th wicket partnership between Kaden Chaffey (23) and Caitlin Murray (3no), which included three sharp chances going to ground, ensured a nail-biting finish before McKee held onto a diving return catch to win the game by three runs.

The six-wicket haul took McLachlan to the top of the leading wickets chart with 27 wickets at 9.37, ahead of GDSC Easts Poplar Sheds father and son pair Aaron McFadyen (25 wkts at 6.60) and Angus McFadyen (23 wkts at 14.52).

Earlier Lewis Chevalley (43) and Aaron Webb (20) put on a 50-run opening stand for Coutts Crossing. However, apart from McKee (23) and Josh Harris (24), the rest of the batting order failed to fire as Ryan Cotten (4/7 for 4) and Rhys Hebbard (2/16 off 8) and Luke Hayman (2/4 off 2) changed the complexion of the match.

9. Craig Denhert (Tucabia) - 2nd Grade: 4/19 (8)

Sunline Fencing Tucabia Copmanhurst's bowling attack has been boosted by experienced seamer Craig Denhert striking form at the right time of the season. 'Dexter' took 4 for 19 off 8 overs to completely derail the innings of South Services, who crashed from 2 for 75 to be all out for 105 in the 29th over in the 2nd Grade clash at McKittrick Park.

Three of Denhert's dismissals caught the edge through to wicket keeper Jaye Yardy. Meanwhile Layton Pigg (2/27 off 6) claimed the dismissals of top scorers Ryan Woolley (45) and Jack Kelleher (26).

10. Matt Dalton (Souths) - Premier League/T20: 6/10 (12); and 1/10 (4)

The real find of the season for Clarence River Cricket, Matt Dalton has firmly entrenched himself as the leader of the South Services bowling attack, and on Saturday he singlehandedly put his side into a winning position despite a disastrous start to its GDSC Premier League clash against GDSC Easts/Westlawn Crown Hotel at Ellem Oval.

Matt Lobsey took four wickets as Easts/Westlawn dismantled Souths for just 97 off 45 overs and appeared firmly on track for a fifth win in a row.

But Dalton had other ideas, and took 6 for 10 off 12 overs including 7 maidens to have Easts/Westlawn in all sorts of trouble at 9 for 43 off 24 overs at stumps.

(*Easts/Westlawn scores not available)

11. Caitlin Amos (Westlawn) - 3rd Grade: 5/27 (5)

Cricket was the winner in the 3rd Grade clash between Coutts Crossing and Westlawn GJR Sheetmetal/Jones Mechanical, with some stars of the future giving a glimpse of what's to come  at JJ Lawrence Synthetic.

Caitlin Amos claimed 5 for 27 off 5 overs in a memorable spell of bowling for Westlawn, earning the KFC Team of the Week call up despite being on the losing side.

Caitlin's five-wicket haul moves her to 12 wickets for the season, within one of Coutts Crossing's Caitlin Chevalley (13) in the race for leading wicket taker in 3rd Grade.

Coutts handled most of the other bowlers to post 9 for 168 including 38 off 32 from Tim Tilse in his first game of the season, and Lance Chevalley 38 not out off 36.

Westlawn captain Shaun Simpson (39ret off 23) got his side off to a typically flying start, which was followed by Eli Jones (35ret off 32) and Ricky Bender (27ret of 28). However, the likes of Lance Chevalley (1/19 off 5) and Kieren Jeffs (0/6 off 3) soon applied the breaks, and Westlawn were left needing 11 off the last over.

Enter nine-year-old Harry Tilse (2/17 off 4), who conceded just eight runs off the over to hand his side a three-run victory.

The match featured a first for Coutts Crossing Cricket Club, with three generations from the one family represented - Harry Tilse, dad Tim Tilse and grandad Mal Tilse.

Originally published as KFC Team of the Week - CRCA #12